First of Ides (Growing Up)
by FanFicLash
Summary: Ash, Iris, and Cilan are making their way through the Unova region when Ash finally starts to literally grow up. During all of this, though, some dark forces are at work...forces that are spreading past all physical limitations... Negaishipping! AshXIris Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, but if I did Negaishipping would be everywhere and would be rated PG-13, or something similar...
1. Chapter 1: Mysteries

**Chapter 1: Mysteries**

Ash settled down for the night in his sleeping bag for the night under the star filled indigo-ebony sky. Sighing, he thought about the how he would fare in the far away Unova League. He still felt quite disappointed from the previous league he competed in where he landed a spot in the top 4. It was troublesome enough to bring nightmares upon his sleep. Under the shade of the tree, he looked up and saw Iris on a branch, eyes closed and chest slowly falling and rising periodically. Beyond her, pure moonlight shone through the canopy.

As Ash tries to fall off into dream land, a thought occurs to him. _What did Iris mean when she said that the Cottonee were in love? Aren't they just becoming best buds? Ugh! All of this love talk is so confusing! What is love anyways…_ After a long while of trying to decrypt the mystery of love, Ash finally nods off.

"Ash? Ash?! Ash! Wake up!"

"Ugh…w-what is it?" Ash replied groggily. Opening his amber eyes, a blurry image appears before him. Coming into focus, he sees Iris kneeling down next to him in her signature ivory tights and yellow/pink blouse. Axew poked his head out of her royal purple hair. On Ash's right was Cilan in his waiter outfit and his green, rounded hair. Sitting on Ash's chest was Pikachu.

(Pi pika? Pikachu pi chu?) squeaked Pikachu. Ash began to sit up on his arms when he noticed a bead of sweat glide down his eyebrow and drop onto the sleeping bag.

"W-what's going on guys?" he asked hurriedly.

Iris shakes her head. "You were thrashing around and…and we thought you were having a nightmare or something…" Her eyes narrowed as her mocha-colored face twisted into a deeper look of concern.

"Yeah, Ash. It appears to me-" Cilan started, automatically closing his eyes and bringing a hand to his chin, which signaled that the connoisseur was about to break out into a cheesy lecture. "-that you had the unfortunate and bitter experience of a horrible nightmare! Just as too many tablespoons of chili spice are added, as I have had in an unlucky moment with my brothers, so have you been filled a worry in the night! Now that the nightmare is over, tell me Ash, what was it about?"

"W-w-well, actually, I really can't remember," Ash innocently said, scratching the back of his head. Iris and Cilan sweat dropped (that phrase is courtesy of Toadettegirl2012 :) ).

"It didn't have anything to do with some Pokémon battle, did it Ash?" Iris questioned, eyes piercing his gaze.

Ash froze, but only for a split second, due to a thought that flashed across his mind. _Whoa, those eyes...like jasper gemstones... _Quickly snapping out of it, he answered, "I-I don't know...I mean...what was I saying in my sleep?"

Cilan stood up, saying, "You started muttering things about leagues, champions, and impressions. Iris just thought you were caught up in some dream battle." Looking up at a small angle, he began to walk out towards a small clearing. "As much I would like to solve this flavorful mystery, I have fix us breakfast. Pancakes with some wild Oran berries topped off with the sweet taste of maple syrup sounds about right."

Ash and Iris's eyes widened and the topic they were just discussing vanished. "Count me in!" exclaimed Ash, a naïve grin spreading across his face.

"I'll go searching for those Oran berries!" yelled Iris as stood up and started, almost literally, sprinting up the tree. Looking down at Ash, she chuckled and said, "You know, Ash, with this nightmare about something as simple as a Pokémon battle, you look like little kid!" Before Ash could protest, she grabbed a vine and swung off into the forest.

(Pikachu?) Pikachu questioned.

"Yeah, good idea. Let's get you some Poke food," Ash replied. _I swear to Arceus that I'm gonna get Iris back for calling me a little kid. Her eyes though...and her perfect_ _skin... _He blinked. _What are you thinking? What was that..._ As he made his way to Cilan's little table set up to help with the meal, he continued thinking to himself. _What was up with Iris and Cilan when they were talking about those Cottonee..."_

* * *

"Hey, Axew?" Iris swung through the trees, constantly searching for the Oran berries. The wind rushed against her face and cut through her thick hair.

(Axew axe?) The green dragon type tusked Pokémon revealed itself in Iris's hair.

"You...you think that Ash is really that dense?" Iris hesitantly questioned.

(Axe?)

"I-I just wanted to hear another's opinion, you know? I just hate thinking that my friends will stay...well, alone for the rest of their lives," Iris mumbled. The last part was barely audible. _I don't want Ash to die all alone...No one can live a full life without love..._

(Axe axew.)

"Well duh, of course they will have friends there for them and all, but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about love, silly!" A light pink blush entered her cheeks.

(Axe?) Axew inquired.

"You don't know what love is? Really? Ugh, it's hard to explain." Iris crinkled her eyebrows. "I guess it's a deep yearning to be with someone, to be more than just...well, friends. To have some sort of internal emotional connection, you know? It could be an interpretation of a feeling, too, I guess. Everybody just has to ask themselves what is love..." Iris's blush deepened. _Ash doesn't know what love is to him, yet..._ A smile tickled the corners of her rosy lips. _He's such a cute little kid..._

(Axew axew!) Axew started rustling around in Iris's hair. Noticing this, Iris snapped out of her thoughts.

"What is it Axew?"

(Axe axew axe!) Axew pointed to her right. Following his finger (or paw, whatever), Iris saw a tree not 20 yards away with azure berries.

"There's the Oran berries! Thanks Axew," Iris said. Dashing across broad branches and leaping over gaps between trees, she finally reached the Oran berry tree. Dropping down from the tree, she landed on the ground and walked over to the berries. Picking a sizeable berry, she took a massive bite out of it, relishing the sweet taste of the fruit's flesh. A little juice dripped down her chin. _I always loved these berries so much! So sweet...kind of like Ash..._

* * *

Ash finished setting up all the dishware on the little camping table just as Iris came back with a hair-full bushel of Oran berries (come on, her hair's big enough to hold Lugia for crying out loud). An innocent grin spread on his face when she glanced at him as she passed. _Wow, she looks like an hourglass..._ He blinked again. Rubbing his temples, he figured that he was imagining those thoughts. Then again, thoughts are just imagined.

Iris had only had a swift look at Ash and his raven hair before she hurried over to Cilan, who was waving her over to a series of plates piled with buttermilk pancakes, but she swore that she had seen a twinkle in Ash's eyes. His amber eyes. She inwardly smirked. What was she thinking?

Ash remembered early that morning that Iris had called him a little kid. He smirked. Time for another fun argument. "You know Iris, all those berries in your hair make you look like you have a lot of Azurill trying to eat your SCALP." His smile disappeared when he realized his voice cracked when he said scalp.

Pausing her march over to the pancakes, Iris peered over her shoulder. Her lips started wobbling when she suddenly burst into a cacophony of giggles. Cilan himself chuckled as he closed up his makeshift kitchen.

"W-what was that?" Ash inquired with a look of utter confusion set into his features. Iris tried to speak through her convulsions.

"C-Cilan, *giggle*, e-explain, *giggle*," she stuttered. Her face reddened to the shade of a Blaziken's horns.

Cilan sweat dropped, a nervous smile planted on his face. "I-I believe that you're growing up (roll credits, hehe CinemaSins). It's called puberty."

Ash made an "o" with his mouth, eyes widening. Cilan and Iris simply stood there, waiting for it to sink in. "What's puberty?"

His friends fell, anime style. Iris shook her head. _First it was what is love. Now it's what is puberty. Great! Hehe! He's such a little kid...my little kid..._


	2. Chapter 2: Maturity

**Hello again! It has come to my attention that the fanfiction I have here has similarities to other fanfictions (thanks Briarfrost :) ). I would like to let you know that this fanfic will be leading into a different direction than the other fanfics that included the Cottonee (all of which were great to say the least). Originality, for me, is key. The Cottonee will simply be a kick-off point and an area that I will have Ash bring up in his mind every now and then. **

**Also, after my first chapter of my first fanfic on my first account here on , I've grown a bit more comfortable and will be lengthening my chapters from now on. The story won't necessarily follow the anime, but it won't introduce an extreme oddity (such as the extensive use of aura; the fanfic I'm referring to is one of my favorites). What I will do, though, is break off from the anime's PG rating. After all, what I'm striving for is a better connection to the reader through the characters. Life isn't PG. That will show in the coming chapters much more prominently. By the way, I took out the ages to the characters from the summary, so I'll put them here:**

**Ash: 14**

**Iris: 14**

**Cilan: 16**

**I have to flag the idea that Ash is 10. He started the entire series at 10, and mind you, there are close to 1000 episodes. He just has to be older!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon...yet.**

**Well, now that I got that off my chest, without further ado, here's chapter 2! (heh, I rhymed...)**

* * *

**Chapter 2: ****Maturity**

"Well? What is it?" Ash inquired, a frown gradually growing on his tan face. Sitting down at the breakfast table Cilan had set up at camp that morning, Ash was constantly tapping his foot in curiosity.

"W-w-well...*cough*...puberty, y-y-you see...it's t-this thing w-where..." Cilan began, the green haired connoisseur nervously messing with his black vest. He was rather uncomfortable with the topic. "I-I-Iris, why d-don't you explain?"

"Uh...u-uh, Cilan? I-I'm not sure that that's a-a-a good idea..." Iris stuttered. A light blush crept into her mocha cheeks. She averted her field of view away from Ash.

"Uh...r-right...t-t-this would be m-my job, I g-guess..." Cilan rested his flustered face in his palms. Pikachu was sitting on the grass, head cocked at an angle.

"Are you going to tell me?" pressed Ash. His foot was tapping at a higher pace.

Cilan and Iris sweat dropped.

"Are. You. Going. To. Tell. Me?" Ash had started rising up from his chair. The sun's heat was putting him in a bad mood, though it was still a few hours from noon. His left amber eye twitched.

"A-A-Ash, calm do..." Iris started, but Ash interrupted her.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN CALM DOWN? ALL I'M TRYING TO DO IS GET A DAMN ANSWER!" Ash yelled. Standing, he slammed his glove-covered fist into the table. Glaring at his companions, he bared his teeth. Pikachu flinched.

"T-that's one of the side effects..." Iris mumbled, just loud enough for Ash to catch. The redness drained from Ash's face.

"What?" he asked.

"It's one of the side effects, a bitter spice, of growing up," (roll credits) Cilan added. "When you go through puberty, you experience hormone fluctuations, much like how a dominant flavor in a recipe may change. All of that anger you just had was proof."

Ash sat down and swiped away a sweat bead form his forehead before answering. "That sucks..." he muttered. "Sorry about that, you guys."

Iris's mouth twitched as a smile worked its way to the surface. "You have nothing to be sorry for. You're just moody from your hormones, and there's nothing you can do about that."

Smirking, Ash quipped, "So that's why you're always in such a bad mood all the time." This time, Ash got a little more than what he wanted.

"WHAT THE HELL ASH! I'M TRYING TO MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER AND THIS IS HOW YOU THANK ME!" Iris screamed. Ash fell out of his chair, slamming into the ground. Iris loomed over him while Cilan dashed around the table and kneeled down next to Ash, leaning over to whisper something. Pikachu stood by Ash, wondering how thick his trainer could be.

"Take it easy on her, Ash. She might have P.M.S. right now." Ash looked questioningly up at Cilan. Darting his gaze between his companions, he asked probably the dumbest thing to ask at the moment to the silently fuming Iris.

"What's P.M.S.?"

Iris opened eyes and shot him a death eye. "You little kid!" she shouted. A crimson shade rested on her face, which Ash immediately picked up on. Giving a huff, Iris turned around and scurried up a tree, leaping from branch to branch for a little ways.

Ash blinked (he does that a lot). "What did I say?"

Cilan sighed. "You still have a lot to learn." Shaking his head, he got up and smoothed his shirt.

Before he knew what he was doing, Ash got up and sprinted in the direction he saw Iris head towards. "I'll be back in a little, Cilan! I have to go fix this!"

* * *

Iris was sitting down on a branch in a tree, her head resting in her knees. Axew popped out of her hair.

(Axew ew?) the tusked Pokémon yipped.

A tear ran her right cheek. "I-I'm fine Axew, thanks for asking..." She lightly sobbed. _Ash thinks that I'm always such a brat now...He even told me that he thought I was always in a bad mood..._ After a minute, she stopped crying to think. _Why do I care about what he says..._

"Iris!" A familiar voice echoed through the forest. Iris looked down from her vantage point to see Ash running around, scanning the trees for her.

"Go away, Ash!" she demanded loudly. Axew hid back in her large hair when she yelled.

"Iris! I need...I need to talk to you..." Ash said, careful to choose his words wisely. He sure didn't want this P.M.S. thing blowing up in his face.

She was about to snap at him when she noticed he was already climbing the tree she was in. "Ash...just, go away..."

"I can't do that when one of my friends are depressed..." he muttered as he strained to reach the next branch.

A questioning look dawned upon Iris's features. "I...I-I thought that you thought I was a brat..." she mumbled.

"Why would I think...*puff*...that?" Ash asked, springing up to the branch Iris was sitting on. Axew receded even further into Iris's hair, not wanting to disturb the already fragile situation.

"You said...said that I was always in such a good-for-nothing bad mood..." Ash sat next to Iris, frowning as she uncurled herself.

"I was only joking...I thought it I was all clever, but...I just ended up hurting you..."

A twinkle flashed through Iris's eyes. "Clever, huh?" With her tears dried up and the realization of what Ash was saying, a playing hint entered her voice. "Yes, it was very clever of Pokémon Master Ash Ketchum to attempt to be Mr. Smart Guy." A light giggle escaped her voice. Ash was completely baffled.

"W-w-weren't you just...you know, angry...at me?" Ash cautiously asked.

"Hmmm..." Iris pretended to think about it. "Well, the thing is, you see, I was angry. Was is past tense. You apologized..." She gave him a longing look that he failed to recognize. "...so I forgive you."

"T-that easily?"

"What? Do you want me to stay angry?" She faked a glare, causing Ash to flinch and nearly fall off before Iris reflexively grabbed a hold of him by his blue and white jacket.

"Ash!" Sadly, gravity took over and yanked them both towards the ground.

"Iris!" Ash quickly wrapped his body around hers to protect her from the fall.

Hitting the ground with a thud, Ash and Iris groaned simultaneously. Ash knew fully well that he had taken the brunt of the drop, plus he had Iris on top of him, only adding to the pain.

"You okay Iris?" Ash moaned. It felt like he had somebody take a baseball bat to his solar plexus.

Placing her hands on Ash's shoulders, she pushed herself up. "Y-yeah, I'm fi..." She just realized the position she was in. She was straddling him, which was a very awkward place to be for the two teenagers. Realizing it, too, Ash felt a blush creep into his facial features.

"That's...that's good to hear..." Ash said. He looked up at Iris, checking to see if she sustained any injuries, only to lock eyes with her. _Those eyes again..._

The two stayed there speechless until Ash started shifting around. He noticed a certain...tightness in his pants. Naturally panicking, he blinked (there he goes again with his blinks) and quickly said, "I-I think we should get back to camp..."

"That sounds good to me," Iris commented, still frozen to the spot.

Ash tried to sit up, holding Iris's wrists so she was stabilized, but the tightness only got worse, so he fell back down, attempting to think about something to use as a cover up (every guy reading this has had a situation where they had to find a cover up of some sort, whether physically or verbally X( damn surprises...) when he noticed he had let go of Iris's wrists, causing her to fall back onto him. That didn't help.

"S-sorry! It's just...just...I-I have a slight headache right now..." Ash quickly stated. A cliché excuse, but a useful one.

Iris was pressed against him, her face only a couple inches from his. _What nice amber eyes he has..._ She blinked (*sigh*). "I-it's okay..."

Ash, already extremely uncomfortable with the current situation, simply replied, "Let's head back to the camp." He squished his knees together, hopefully minimizing certain imprints. _I'm guessing this has to do with hormones, too..._

Lifting herself off of him, Iris swiped off the dirt that stained her white tights. Ash had just realized just how tight her pants were...which only made his tighter. _Damn it, stop it body! Getting tired of all this hormone bullsh... _Ash internally froze. Since when did he think about cursing? Pressing the thought into a corner of his mind (if you were wondering, Ash barely has any room left up there; with all of those "boxes" of Pokémon battles, Pokémon training, and the like, it was rather surprising that he actually had a new kind of thought...other than the other few that got him into this "tight" situation...should probably rename this fanfic: the troubles of puberty).

Rolling onto his stomach, Ash pushed himself up into a standing position that was angled just right...for reasons. And because the plot demands it.

"Okay, let's go," Iris said, walking slightly in front of Ash. Ash just so happened to glance down.

_Damn this puberty! _he scolded himself.

* * *

Cilan was still sitting there, apparently content with polishing his silverware. He was completely finished with his pancakes.

Switching his gaze to the two that were approaching him, he noted, "It appears that you two have worked it out. Just what I expected! You two always had an interesting bouquet." A smile spread on the connoisseur's face.

Iris nodded. "It was just a little bit of a mood swing, I guess..." She looked at Ash. "By the way, when Cilan says bouquet, he's talking about the aroma, not the flowers." Ash stared at her.

"Didn't already tell me that when we were at the Striaton gym?" Ash questioned with an irked expression.

Sensing another childish argument ready to break out, Cilan quickly said, "You guys should hurry and eat your pancakes! They're already cold, and we have a few miles to travel. There's a cave attraction located not far from the next Pokémon Center."

"Right!" Ash and Iris said in unison. Why? Because the plot demands it.

Sitting down, they caught each others' eye. They both exhibited a twinkle, almost betraying what lay inside...

* * *

**There we go! One chapter in one night! Not bad. Not bad at all. I am a badass, am I not? (please don't answer that)**

**The cave will be of my own creation. What happens in there is for me not to know yet because I haven't thought of it and you to find out about whatever I will think of in the future.**

**Anyways, drop a favorite if you liked this fanfic and leave a review! Follow along, if you wish, or, if you want to leave a suggestion, put it in that review section!**

**Until next time...**

**FanFicLash flying out. **


	3. Chapter 3: Drake It Off

**Hello once again guys! I have to thank you all for the number of views this fanfic has been getting, despite any lack of reviews (not necessary for me to go on, but if you wonder why it may take me a bit longer than normal to type up a chapter, I'd like to let you know I've been busy with some projects) For this chapter, I have no idea what I should do for the plot. All I know is that I'll try to include an OC. However, this OC will be different: it won't be human. I don't even know what the OC will look like! You could say I'm winging it, I guess.**

**Speaking of winging it, I'm going to try to make this chapter even larger than the last. The size of the sections will go nowhere but up, so expect to be sitting down at one chapter for a longer period of time as more and more are added!**

**This will also be the chapter where I include the first Pokémon battle, in which the OC will play a heavy hand.**

**Well, enough of my talking.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon. Sadly. *Sigh**

**Now, for what you wanted to see, here is chapter 3! (yes, I'll be rhyming this part of the top notes from now on...)**

* * *

**Chapter 3: Drake It Off**

"Ugh!" Ash groaned. The Pokémon trainer had a few too many pancakes for breakfast today. "How much farther is the Pokémon center, Cilan?"

Cilan, dressed in his formal waiter's wardrobe, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Hold on a second, Ash, let me check...we shouldn't be too far away..." Flipping out his digital map, he began entering a search for the next Pokémon center.

Off to the side walked Iris, shaking her head and holding a giggle back. Axew joined in, shaking in Iris's hair as they did their best to hold back.

"What's so funny, Iris?" an irritated Ash demanded. It felt like he'd been walking forever, all thanks to his breakfast.

"You're such a little kid, Ash!" Iris burst. She lost her resolve and started guffawing. Soon after, Axew followed suit.

"Pika pikachu?" the little electric mouse Pokémon questioned.

"How many times have I told you that I'm not a little kid..." Ash mumbled.

"Well, if you guys would just look ahead of you, then you'd see the center!" Iris exclaimed. Cilan looked up from his digital map just as Ash quickly looked up ahead. Sure enough, there was a hazy view of a Pokémon center a couple miles away. Ash collapsed anime style, Pikachu briskly jumping off his shoulder in the nick of time, whilst Cilan sweat dropped. Pikachu just stood there.

"Good thing you spotted it, Iris. I was going to have us stop around here so I could fix this device," Cilan remarked. He hit the digital map with the palm of his hand, furrowing his eyebrows during the process.

"What's wrong with it?" Ash inquired. He knew that he would most likely be of no help. He wasn't exactly a technology master.

"Static," Cilan replied bluntly. "It may be the demodulator's components...or it may be the filter's passing bandwidth..." Out of the blue, he took a screwdriver out of his front left pant pocket (it's Cilan; he probably has pots and pans in his pockets, too). "No fear, though, for I am also a circuit connoisseur, too!"

"Not this again..." Iris whimpered, purple anime streaks appearing. Cilan quickly got to work with the device, masterfully removing screws like it was nothing. Ash had his mouth open in wonder.

Removing the protective back of the device, Cilan surveyed the circuitry. An expression similar to that of those hit by confusion ray appeared on his features.

"That's...odd. Everything's intact, which means that the satellite signal is being subject to some sort of interference..." he speculated. "The question is what is causing it..."

"We'll fix that later, Cilan! I'm hungry and the Pokémon center is right there!" Ash pled, waving his arm frantically in the direction of the center just ahead on the path. The center, which was shaded crimson, pearly white, and sakura pink, was so close that Ash could swear that he smelled the food court that was inevitably next to it.

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, dashing over to Cilan and giving him the puppy dog (or is it puppy Pokémon?) eyes. Cilan reached down and gave Pikachu a friendly pat on the head, preparing to agree when he was interrupted.

"Like I said before: what a little kid," Iris pestered. She gave a teasing smile at Ash, knowing exactly what was to come.

"I'M. NOT. A. LITTLE. K...mfththth?!" Ash began to protest before Iris rushed at him and put her hand over his mouth. Though he tried to back away, Iris kept her hand over his mouth, practically gagging him. Cilan watched with interest, wondering where this was going. Axew popped its tusked face out of Iris's cascading hair, interested in the drama going on.

Ash finally backed up into a tree, making Iris flash an innocent smile. The teenage boy didn't know what to do without using force now.

"Yes, yes, we've heard you say that a million times in response to my favorite phrase," Iris remarked, turning her head away and placing her free hand on her hips. Ash was preparing to push her away from him when a twinkle in Iris's eyes caught his attention. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she continued, "You wouldn't touch a GIRL without her consent, now would you, Ashy?" She smirked, but was inwardly nervous. She wanted to see how much of a little kid he really was.

Instead of pushing her away like he had originally planned, Ash leaned against the tree, purple anime streaks lining his face. He felt a blush climb to his cheeks.

"Nothing? Looks like somebody's maturing!" Iris proclaimed. Ash flinched. She had no idea about how true that was...

"Mfththth mfththth mfththth..." With Iris's hand still clamped on his lips, he only managed to make muffled sounds. Iris, satisfied with what she had done, released him, only to notice that his shoulders were shaking.

He looked up. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR!?" Ash shot. Iris sweat dropped. Pikachu mimicked the movement perfectly, shifting slowly behind Ash.

"It was funny to see how you'd react!" she retorted playfully.

"That's not fair! You can't play with my morals like that!"

Iris smiled inwardly. _So he actually views guys and girls differently...that's a start..._

"To me, it appears as though Ash has grown up a little bit. He actually is differentiating between guys and girls, much like how a chef separates parsley and cilantro..." Cilan muttered, hoping that Ash didn't pick up on that.

_He took the words right out of my mouth...well, head..._Iris noted.

"What was that, Cilan!?" Ash queried with an irritated tone. "I can't be the only one that thought that what just happened was just not fair! You can't go around pinning men against trees and challenging their honor like that, Iris!"

"I just did, Ashy boy!" Iris mocked. She gave Ash an affectionate wink. He picked up on that, a blush quickly reforming on his cheeks.

_Why the hell does she keep calling me Ashy? Do I really look that much like a kid? And why..._Ash was snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed that she was moving towards him. _W-why is she coming closer? What's she planning on doing?_

Leaning close to Ash's face, Iris sighed. Ash was frozen to the spot. Then she did it.

"KID!" Iris yelled full force into his face, catching him off guard and sending him flying back onto the ground. Iris went straight into a fit of laughter, holding onto her stomach as she shake from the force of her laughs.

"NOW WHAT?!" Ash yelled back.

"You're too easy to scare Ash! God, I almost feel sorry for that!" she got out between her giggles. Ash wasn't sure to be spiteful or return to his normal playful state. He opted to go for the latter.

"Yeah, well whenever you get scared, you just get...CHILLED to the bone, don't ya?" Ash countered, a sly look appearing in his amber brown eyes. Iris immediately flushed red and was about to use a comeback when...

"PIKACHU!" Ash, Iris, and an unfortunate Axew all were zapped by Pikachu's powerful thunderbolt. Falling to the ground, the three victims twitched from the shocking move (literally). "Pika pika..." Pikachu mumbled, getting tired of all the fighting. Cilan sweat dropped.

* * *

Half an hour later, the traveling companions reached the Pokémon center. It was accompanied by multiple buildings, including one that said "Cave Guides Here!). Up ahead, on the opposite side of the small town, if it could even be named that, an unpaved road diverged into two paths, one leading to the path that followed Nimbasa City, and the other going to the legendary Draco Caves. The scent of food filled Ash and Iris's noses, causing them to shiver with the expectation of food.

"I'm starved! Come on, Pikachu, let's get to the food court over there!" Ash resounded excitedly.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu agreed. Ash started sprinting off in the direction of the food court.

"Wait up, Ash!" Iris called out at him. She began to follow when she remembered that Cilan was with them. "You coming, Cilan?" Iris questioned over her shoulder.

"Actually, I'm going to go find a cave guide. I'm not a cave connoisseur," Cilan answered sheepishly.

"Okay then, see you soon!" Iris replied. She dashed towards Ash. _The one thing he's not a connoisseur in...huh..._

In next to no time at all, she arrived at Ash's side. Sadly for the duo (and Pikachu and Axew), they were stuck in a long line to the vendors.

Ash groaned. "I'm going to die if I don't get food in me soon!" he complained.

"Pika..." Pikachu moaned, as well.

"You're both such little kids!" Iris jested.

"Axew axew ew!" Axew agreed.

"Come on, Iris, my stomach hurts too much for any arguing!" Ash grumbled. Pikachu just flopped down onto Ash's shoulders and gave a grunt.

_Hehe, Ash is SO cute when he's irritated! Then again, isn't he always? _Iris silently thought to herself. Being a Dragon Master in training, she sure wasn't going to show any weakness to Ash, even if she had to hide her secret for the rest of her life. Well, except for her fear of ice Pokémon. That just can't be controlled. _It's good to know that he actually treats girls and guys differently...that's gives me a fighting chance..._

"Then I won't argue with you. I'm not as cold-hearted as you think I..."

"Hey cutiepatootie!"

"Huh?" Ash and Iris simultaneously said. (Now comes the part that I think will give you guys, the readers, a sense of justice! I kind of got tired of how scenes like the next one here played out in other fanfics, so I decided to indulge you with a bit of happiness!)

A dude wearing all black came striding over towards them. In the black jeans, black shirt, and black hoodie you would've thought he was trying to impersonate Johnny Cash (please tell me you guys get that reference). "I was just saying that you there, sweetheart, are a sight for my prying eyes..." the creeper said, rephrasing what he had previously stated.

"Excuse me?" Iris questioned in a sassy tone. She knew a creepy ass bastard when she saw one. The way he just looked over made her feel sick. Apparently, she wasn't the only one.

"I have to admit, she is pretty," Ash stated. Iris looked over at him in shock, which he just replied to with a wink that said 'Follow my lead'. "Problem for you is the fact that she's my girlfriend." Ash pulled Iris close around the waist. It didn't take long for Iris to understand what he was doing. Nevertheless, a blush settled on her tan cheeks, all the while Ash glared at the man in black. He was probably around 15 or so.

"Oh really, short stuff?" the creep coolly retorted. A vein popped in Ash's temple. The creep was only a couple inches taller than him, yet he was calling him short! "Did you know relationships don't really last forever? Sometimes, Mr. Right just so happens to walk in on..." He paused for dramatic effect. "...a tight bodied bomb..."

"Why don't you bug off," Ash countered with an unsettling amount of calmness in his voice. Iris had to flinch at the unnatural tone he had taken.

"You know what? I will," A smirk spread across the creep's face. "Just as soon as I take this honey with me!" He grabbed Iris's right wrist and tried to drag her. Iris kicked at him, but it did no good, so Ash stepped.

"Let go of me, you sicko!" Iris screamed. Ash, still in his calm state, grabbed Iris's wrist an inch above where her attacker had her, twisted her arm, and pulled. Some how, some way, Ash had managed to pull her arm out of his grip. Iris and the creep were surprised equally.

The creep snapped out of it quickly, though. "So you want to play tough, punk?" he barked bitterly. "Alright, then! Let's play!" Reaching into his pocket, the creep pulled out a switchblade. Iris felt the blood leave her face.

_He has an Arceus forsaken knife!_ She looked up at Ash to see if he was just as scared as she was. He wasn't.

"Typical..." Ash said, seemingly coaxing their assailant.

"That's it, Arceus damn it!" The creep rushed towards Ash, attempting to stab him. Ash simply side-stepped, allowing the blade to just miss his ribs. A smile flashed across Ash's face as he knew he had already won. The creep had his back turned towards him. The guy was over for.

Quickly, and without hesitation, he grabbed the creep's wrist that held the knife and reached over in front of his neck, forcing his elbow to be pinned into the guy's windpipe. He yanked the arm into his chest, tensing his core as pulled the arm back in an unnatural way.

"Argh! L-let...*gag*...m-m-me...*gag*..." the creep began, but his speech was intercepted when Ash bent the guy's wrist, forcing him to drop the knife, and wrapped an arm around the creep's throat, turned his back to him, and flipped the guy onto the concrete.

The man in black lied there, face down, groaning. Ash picked up the switchblade, which had a nice little mahogany handle.

"Nice blade you've got here," Ash praised. Iris was still baffled at what just happened in front of her. Pikachu was standing on the sidelines, shaking his head. His best friend had to just show off, didn't he.

"W-where did you learn to do that?" Iris managed to get out. Axew was heard snoring in Iris's hair (just so you guys know) Ash looked over to her, his innocent grin appearing once again.

"Training with fighting type Pokémon!" he enthusiastically explained. "After traveling through a bunch of regions, you start picking up on things."

"C-cool..." Iris quietly spoke. He nudged her.

"Maybe I can teach you a little bit when we get back on the trail!" he winked. She blushed a little, but not enough to be noticed. Iris still had a question, though.

"A-A-Ash, what was that act you were putting on earlier?"

"Oh, that thing I did? That was something I learned from Hitmonlee! It's this thing where..." he drawled, but he was interrupted.

"You know what I'm talking about..." Iris squeaked.

"Wait, what do you...oh..." Ash felt his cheeks warm a little bit. Why, he did not know, but his mind flashed back to his thoughts about the Cottonee. "I-I just thought that if he kn...I mean, thought that you had a boyfriend, he would leave you alone, you know...pretty clever, huh?"

"Yeah, pretty clever..." Iris mumbled. Everybody was staring at the two when an Officer Jenny came by.

"I received a call about a fight. What happened here?" she questioned, her eyebrows furrowed. A bunch of witnesses surrounded her, giving her their accounts of what was going on. Ash sweat dropped.

"Looks like I might be in trouble..." he said nervously. As if on cue, Officer Jenny came walking over to the teenagers, glancing at the groaning guy on the ground.

"Am I going to be arrested, Officer Jenny?" Ash queried, obviously uneasy. She raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"No, not at all. What would make you think that?" she questioned.

"I-I kind of planted that guy into the earth..."

"In self defense. That's the entire thing. According to every witness, this suspect was harassing you and your girlfriend..." Ash and Iris blushed at this. "...and when he started getting physical and used a deadly weapon, you had to put him out."

"W-well it's good to know I'm not in trouble, I guess!" Ash sheepishly beamed. Iris and Pikachu sweat dropped.

"Now that we have that settled, I'll just be taking this suspect in," Officer Jenny avowed. "Come on, Johnny Cash," (see, even Officer Jenny knows about that) "I hope you like prison food...and di..." Officer Jenny's voice faded as she dragged her catch behind her. (The Other Guys reference)

"What were we doing again?" Iris asked.

"I can't remember..." Ash replied. His stomach growled, making him change his answer. "Oh yeah, we were getting food! Let's go, the line's short now!" Ash tenderly gripped Iris's hand, pulling her along with him as he ran to the line.

"S-s-slow down, Ash!" Iris called, flustered at the contact.

* * *

After eating, no, devouring their food, Ash and Iris were met by Cilan, who was accompanied by a tall, lanky man in a safety orange collared shirt, khaki cargo pants, a fishing hat, and black boots.

"Good to see you guys have had your fill of food. You know, you two have more in common than you think," Cilan commented, raising a finger.

"YOU DID NOT JUST SAY THAT I'M LIKE HER/HIM!" Iris and Ash loudly protested. They looked at each other, and after a moment of silence, they burst out into laughter.

Cilan smiled at their reactions. "I'd like to introduce you guys to Draco Cave Guide, Johon." (not Johan, it's Johon...I decided to make a name)

Sticking his thin hand out to Ash, Johon said, "It's nice to meet you!" After saying their greetings, they got straight down to business.

"Johon says that their has been some strange sightings of a Pokémon around the surrounding area of the entrance of Draco Cave," Cilan disclosed in a serious tone.

"Yes, yes, there have been some unusual occurrences that have taken place, as well," Johon said. His face twisted with confusion. "We don't know how, but we've been receiving interference from an unknown source, causing our communication devices to become useless for the time being." A sense of realization crossed Cilan's face.

"That makes sense! Right before we headed into town here, my digital map started getting static!" Cilan exclaimed.

"Yeah! Cilan was going all connoisseur-y over it!" Ash added.

"Connoisseur-y isn't a word. Only a little kid would think that," Iris jabbed.

"I'm not a little kid!"

"Are to!"

"Am not!"

"I'm not getting into an argument with a little kid!" Iris yelled with a humph. Cilan sweat dropped while Johon arched an eyebrow.

"You two a couple?" Johon asked innocently enough. The results, though, were drastic.

"NO!" Iris and Ash shouted simultaneously. They were, Cilan noted, quavering a bit in their tone, however. Johon looked up into the sky, silently acknowledging the fact that it was just over 2 hours until dusk.

Focusing his attention back to the other 3, he said, "We better get started with the introductory path in the Draco Caves. The sun's going to be swallowed in a couple hours from now."

"Then let's get going!" Ash announced. The 4 went along the "To Draco Caves" path, shaking with excitement.

"You know, legend has it that the Draco Caves were home to the first dragon type Pokémon in all of the world?" Iris commented.

"So, Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem were supposedly born there?" Ash questioned.

"According to what I've heard, yes. There was also another dragon type born there, but when Arceus created it, the dragon went into an outrage, taking down the Tao dragons. Arceus supposedly had to step in and...and..." Iris stuttered.

"And what?" Cilan urged.

"Arceus killed it."

"Arceus did what!?" Ash gasped. "But it's Arceus! Arceus isn't suppose to kill anything!" Ash secretly knew that wasn't true, though. Arceus didn't kill it.

"I was a bit surprised when I first heard the legend, but hey, it's legend, right?" Iris affirmed.

"Guess so..." Ash began, but he froze to the spot.

"You okay, Ash?" Johan questioned. Despite the need to hurry through the introductory tour and beat the sunset, he was slightly worried. Ash didn't seem like the type of guy to freeze up over a legend. (you guys probably some decent idea of who the OC is by now...)

"I-I-It's nothing..." Ash quietly replied. He got that strange feeling that somebody, no, _something_ was watching him. A familiar something. As soon as his companions started walking again, he swept his gaze across the forested area around the path. A shiver ran down his spine as he caught up to the group.

* * *

After 15 minutes of walking (they were still a good 5 minutes away from the caves), they 4 heard a rustling in the bushes next to the path. They all stopped, staring at the bush cautiously. Pikachu was already getting prepared for another battle. Axew snored away in Iris's royal purple hair.

"Is that a Pokémon?" Ash asked himself in a sub-audible voice.

"Let's back up and see. After all, you can't tell how this recipe will turn out without letting it finish," Cilan said almost cryptically. Iris's eye twitched at his typical comment.

"Whatever it is, we should be ready," Iris said, pulling out her Excadrill's Poke ball.

"Pika..."

"We should hurry. The sun's getting closer and closer to the..." Johon started before the source of the noise strode out of the bushes. A small, tyrian purple foxlike Pokémon appeared. It's trademark smile was on it's face.

"A Zorua! Those are pretty hard to find in the wild!" Ash exclaimed.

"Oh jeez, Ash is going to battle it, I just know it..." Iris mumbled.

"Ready, Pikachu?" Ash asked. A fierce look of determination filled Pikachu's eyes.

"Pikachu!"

"Alright! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

"Chu!" Blinding firefly-yellow electric streaks shot off of Pikachu's body straight towards Zorua. This didn't faze the wild Pokémon, however. The Zorua shape-shifted into a Joltic, using its newly found tiny size to skillfully dodge Pikachu's frightening attack. The ground where the Thunderbolt contacted exploded into a cloud of dust, which Zorua used to its advantage. Shifting back into its tricky fox form, it attacked.

"Zorua!" The Zorua swiftly used a Feint Attack on Pikachu, sending him flying back into a tree, leaving and indentation in the wood.

"That Zorua's fast!" Cilan commented.

"You can do it, Ash!" Iris called out.

Ash gritted his teeth before continuing. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu's tail took on the appearance of steel as he slammed it down at Zoroa. Once again, Zoroa dodged it.

"Zor..." Zorua roared as its eyes glowed blue. Bringing its paws up, a crimson aura surrounded it.

"That's Night Daze!" Johon yelled.

"...ua!" The crimson aura expanded like a shock wave, landing a hit on Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Ash screamed out in despair. Pikachu removed his body from the ground.

"Pi...ka!" the Pokémon said angrily. Ash just got an idea.

"Pikachu, use Electroball on the ground next to Zorua!"

"Pika...chu!" The electric mouse Pokémon launched the fierce attack towards the ground, creating another dust cloud, but more importantly, creating a large crater that had rocks jutting from the ground.

"Alright!" Ash cheered. Pikachu slid down the side of the crater, noting that Zorua had fallen in.

"Now use Quick Attack!" Pikachu dashed across the uneven ground at a now unstable Zorua. The fox Pokémon attempted to dodge, but failed when the rocks got in the way. The strike hit square!

The Zorua stood up and attempted to use Night Daze, thinking that the attack should do it. Oh, how wrong it was.

"Pikachu, spin and use Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu!" The yellow electricity flew off of Pikachu yet again, colliding with the Night Daze, causing a massive explosion.

After the smoke cleared, Ash and Pikachu saw that Zorua was still standing, but it was disorientated. Ash grinned.

"Finish this with Electroball!"

"Pi...ka...chu!" Pikachu launched the attack, but it went wrong.

The ground quivered like an earthquake, which was accompanied but a mighty roar. Hair stood up on Ash's neck. _Not now..._

"What is that?!" Iris shouted over the noise of rock grinding against rock. The Electroball hit next to Zorua. The Pokémon, seeing its opportunity, fled.

"I don't know!" Cilan answered. The ground stopped shaking, to the group's appeasement.

"Man, I lost Zorua!" Ash whined.

"Pika..." Pikachu agreed.

"That's not important right now, Ash. Only a little kid would think of that when an frickin' earthquake just happened!" Iris said. As if to accompany her point, they group saw a great fire in the forest about a mile away.

"We've got to put it out!" Ash said, already reaching for his Oshawott's Poke ball. Iris stopped him, though, holding his hand away from his belt. A blush formed on their cheeks.

"What we have to do is get out of here," she retorted.

"But..."

"Not buts, Ash Ketchum!" Iris yelled. "Can't you tell what kind of fire that is? That's the fire from a dragon!"

Ash had already noticed that the fire was unusually red, and he knew who it was, but still verbally questioned her judgment. "So what, let's put it out!" He knew that this was probably his only chance for the meeting if he couldn't persuade his friends to stay in the small town and look around the caves. They were already running behind schedule for their travel to the next gym.

"Iris is right, Ash," Cilan put in. "Vegetation doesn't burn that color. That has to be off of a Pokémon."

"But..."

"Let's get back to town. I don't feel like going up against a Pokémon strong enough to cause that earthquake," Johon cut in. The group, acknowledging the possible danger of such a Pokémon, had to practically drag Ash back to town. Pikachu sweat dropped all the way.

Ash knew why they wanted to flee from the scene, even if they didn't verbally say it. That aura that everybody else felt had that effect on people. But not him.

* * *

They booked motel rooms as soon as they got back to the unnamed town, which had unofficially been dubbed "Cavern Town". The three heard that a cold drift was coming through the area. Ash, Iris, and Cilan each had their own rooms, which were basic, brown living quarters. Nothing special.

Pikachu was snoring on the bed while Ash was just getting out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. Tying it to itself, Ash continued out into his temporary bedroom when the door was opened. Peering around the corner, Ash saw Iris walk in. Blushing ferociously, he sat himself down on his bed. Unbeknownst to him, she too was getting a little bit warm in her face.

_I knew Ash was slim and all, but I never expected him to be cut! _His abdominals were cut into 6 sections. Not as deep as bodybuilders, but signs that he did some sort of fitness. What made her blush worst of all was the fact that he was just wearing a towel.

Iris wasn't exactly in her normal attire, either. She wore purple pajama pants with cute little hearts all over them. On her top half, she wore a pink sweater with an Axew in the center. It was a V-neck, which Ash eyed from her neck all the way down to a line in the center of her...

_Damn it Ash! Don't stare, you stupid son of a bitch! She'll call you a pervert and leave you! _Ash froze mentally. Again. He had actually thought about cussing. These hormones really are taking control of his life. His eyes swept over the rest of her...big mistake. Naturally, he noticed her curves..._Ugh..._ His consciousness was tired of the hormones.

"H-h-hey Ash..." Iris greeted carefully. Ash had refused to talk to them after they dragged him off, which just wasn't him.

"...Hey, Iris..." Ash replied sheepishly. "What do you want?" He internally flinched. _That came off a little bit too harshly, you idiot..._

"I-I wanted to talk." Iris sat next Ash, making the bed springs squeak.

"About?"

"About...why you made a big deal over finding that Pokémon...I mean, you're always excited about meeting Pokémon, but that one seemed to dangerous...didn't you feel it?" Iris asked with sincerity.

"Feel what?" Ash twisted his face in confusion.

"That uncomfortable atmosphere...it felt like I couldn't breathe...a blanket of depression covered me..." Iris vaguely described. She was telling the truth. Something just didn't feel right about that Pokémon...she could feel its draconic aura, as she had so trained in the Village of Dragons, but it was just wrong...

Ash knew what she was talking about, though he couldn't feel it. He knew the reason why, though he wasn't about to disclose it yet...the information will be important only if he finds that Pokémon. That one Pokémon, that created an earthquake without even knowing the move, just by walking around...he had forgotten its power.

"I...I felt that, too," he lied. "I wanted to stop it...it just made me feel desperate, not depressed, though..." He felt guilty for lying, but it was needed at the time. Plus, he didn't want Iris to worry even more so. If she knew...

"Then why didn't you talk to us?" Iris urged. Ash realized how much of an ass he was.

"I guess it was just an after effect of the ambiance, that's all..." Ash lied again.

"A-and now?"

"I'm better...I'm better now that you're with me..." Ash breathed. Then he realized what he just said. _Damn it!_

"...R-really?" she asked, a hopeful twinkle taking its hold of her eyes.

Ash let a smile tickle the corner of his mouth. "Yeah, I guess...Little kids always had that effect on me," Ash teased.

A smirk grew on Iris's lips. Lips that Ash noticed were rosy. "Who are you calling a little kid?" Iris countered. She pushed Ash into the bed.

"Hold up, now, violence isn't the answer!" Ash said, faking worry.

Iris giggled. "Whoever said I was being violent?"

Ash crunched his abdominals (and Iris took notice) to get back up into his sitting position. "Whoever said I didn't like violence?" Now that Ash thought about it, that sounded a little bit kinky. Well, from what he heard Brock talk about Nurse Joy, he guessed that it sounded kinky. Whatever that means.

Iris was red in the face, trying as hard as could to not confess right on the spot. That answer he gave was so...hot. She knew it sounded shallow, but it couldn't be described any other way. "Good point!" With that, she frogged him in the arm.

"Agh! That was right in the nerve!" Ash hissed, grabbing his arm and rolling back and forth. He was, however, feigning injury.

Iris didn't think so. "Y-you okay Ash? I'm so sorry, I didn't mean..." she apologized, scooting closer over to him till their bodies were just and inch apart, trying to see what damage she caused. Ash hadn't seen her get closer.

"Just kid..." he began, turning his head toward her, but he accidentally brushed his lips against hers as he turned. From natural instinct at the surprise, they both recoiled, but only by an inch. Ash's hearing was taken over by his heartbeat, constantly going _lub dub, lub dub, lub dub_ in his ears. "I-Iris..." Ash whispered. He was on the verge of saying something, but even he didn't know what it was. A dreamy glaze coated both of their eyes, her beautiful chocolate eyes and his full amber eyes, staring at each other with wonder.

"Y-y-yes, Ash?" Iris practically moaned. She didn't know it, but she was leaning towards Ash ever so slowly, narrowing her eyes.

"..." Ash didn't say anything as he leaned in towards her. He might not have to say anything at all to explain this. This could be the moment that his entire life changes.

* * *

**There's the cliffhanger we've all been waiting for! Oh, wait...**

**Yes, I'm leaving you with one of these god awful cliffhangers. Fanfic torture is my specialty, as you will soon see in upcoming chapters! Anyways, I also would like to let any of you writers out there that are reading this that I am more than willing to do a collaboration. P.M. me if you do! Thanks for reading my fanfic!**

**Favorite it, Follow it, Review it! Until next time, stay awesome!**

**FanFicLash signing off.**


	4. Chapter 4: Facial Volcanoes

**After I saw all the views my previous chapter received, I got straight to work on this one (though all of this writing up here is before the I made the story, so I still don't know what I'm going to do)! Again, I have to thank you for noticing this fanfic.**

**Anyways, I know I left you guys with a cliffhanger, but don't worry...there will be more cliffhangers. Sorry, but that's just the way I roll. The entire  
"mysterious dragon thing" may or may not be explained in this chapter, which will be larger than the previous (if by only a couple words).**

**If you have any ideas, either P.M. me or leave it in the reviews. Thanks!**

**Disclaimer: Is Pokémon rated PG-13? Does it include Negaishipping? Then no, I don't own Pokémon...ugh...**

**Now, I know you can't wait no more, so here is chapter 4!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Facial Volcanoes**

Ash was slowly leaning in towards Iris, their faces a centimeter apart. The heat radiating off of Iris's velvety skin sent his heart racing, thudding loudly against his eardrums. He had no idea what he was doing, but it became apparent that his body did.

Iris, too, felt the same sensations. Her eyelids were next to being closed, but through the slits she still saw a glint of Ash's eyes, eyes that she had dreamed about for the last couple weeks. Eyes that she thought would never be this close to her own.

Just when their lips were about to meet, Pikachu, who been sleeping in between the wrinkles in the white blanket that smothered the spring bed, yawned loudly.

"Piiii...kaaaa...chu..." At the sudden sound, Iris and Ash widened their eyes, recoiled away from each other, and stared at the electric mouse Pokémon. Pikachu was simply shifting around in the blanket, still only aware at the subconscious level. Ash looked back at Iris and her cascading palatinate purple hair, once again in awe of her tremendous beauty, while still not knowing why he was so obsessed with the up-and-coming Dragon Master.

"L-looks like Pikachu's enjoying his nap," Ash acknowledged quietly, a shy smile edging the corners of his lips up a fraction. The girl beside him turned her head toward him, taking in all of what just happened. Rather, what could've happened. Her lips parted as a drowsy sound eased its way out.

"I-I believe so..." she replied with tenderness leaking from her voice. She felt so vulnerable. She didn't know if Ash knew what he was getting into or not, or if her feelings would be flat out rejected, or...or... She internally smacked herself, assuring herself that she was over thinking it.

The Pokémon trainer next to her looked up at a wooden clock that ticked ceaselessly that was hanging above the door she had entered from. "I-It's getting late, Iris...We'll have to get up early tomorrow to finish up with this place before we head on to Nimbasa City..." Ash said nervously, hoping not to displease Iris with his suggestion.

"You're right...t-then this is goodnight, then..." Iris whispered. She stood up off of the bed, smoothing out her pink sweater before making her way to the door. In between her strides to the exit, Ash tugged at her wrist. She looked over her shoulder to see and incoming Ash.

Ash wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Iris felt the blush return to her cheeks, and she hugged him back.

"I don't know what I would do without you..." Ash said in a sub-audible tone.

"I don't know either...a little kid like you would get lost here..." Iris said in the same tone with a hint of playfulness. The smile that was present in his features before grew even wider, though his eyes remained solemn, the perplexity of his feelings matching their strength.

"I know." Another one of Pikachu's sleeping sounds perked the two's ears, causing them to separate.

"Night Iris," Ash said.

"Goodnight, Ash," the Unova native replied, disappearing through the doorway as she gave a cursory glance at the young man that was behind her.

After she left, Ash just stood in the same spot in distress, beginning to wonder why he did the things that he did. He ran a hand through his raven hair, sighing at the predicament he was in. His thoughts flashed back to when Iris talked about how the Cottonee they had encountered loved each other. Even now, he didn't understand what this "love" is. It was a fleeting concept, smoke to his grasping hands, just out of his reach.

Frustrated after several minutes of deep thought, he finally walked over the drawer that the motel had provided, pulling out some navy blue boxers to replace the white towel that he had wrapped around his waist. Switching into the sleeping wear, he slipped under the covers of the bed, careful not wake his Pikachu. Searching for a comfortable position, he eventually ended up on his back with his hands behind his head. He let his thoughts roam around, picking at portions of his mind one by one. They first dissected the dream he had just the night before, painting a surprisingly vivid image...

_(Dream)_

_"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded, eyebrows furrowed as he battled against the current Unova Champion, Alder. They were just outside the stadium where the Elite League was held, pinning their Pokémon against each for the title of Champion. Alder, complete with his fiery hair and wild nature, had been watching the Elite League with extreme interest. He was none the bit surprised that Ash had devastated all of the 4 Elites._

_"Pi...ka...chu!" Blinding primrose yellow lightning shot out of Pikachu's small frame, making a beeline towards Alder's Bouffalant._

_"Bouffalant, dodge and use Head Charge!" demanded Alder. The Bash Buffalo Pokémon nimbly evaded the attack with surprising agility, soon getting suitable grounding with its hooves and launching a supercharged head butt at Pikachu. Iris, who had been watching from the sidelines, gasped. If Pikachu was hit, it was over._

_"Slide under Bouffalant and use Iron Tail!" The strategy Ash was using was simple, yet rarely thought of: since Bouffalant absorbs the brunt of attacks with its fur and afro, then it would be best to attack its exposed belly. Pikachu slid under the raging Bouffalant, kicking up dirt as a streak followed him. Before the Bouffalant realized Pikachu was, quickly scanning the battlefield for the electric type, Pikachu's tail hardened into a titanium-like form, which he used to smash into Bouffalant's belly, launching the large Pokémon into the air._

_"Bouffalant!" the Pokémon yelled in surprise._

_"Great, now use Electroball to finish it off!" Ash shouted, any sign of doubt in his victory disappearing. A smile was already on his face, knowing the inevitable outcome of all his hard work._

_"Pi...ka...CHU!" Pikachu sent off a spectacle of immense power in the shape of a sphere of electricity, emitting a field of electricity greater than he had ever created before, breaking apart atoms in the air, forming temporary elementary particles like quarks and bosons immediately. The number of Coulombs present was so great that it was surprising Pikachu didn't suffer any damage. The heavenly orb moved through the air at a painfully slow pace, everything having been slowed down. In Ash's eye, time was being distorted, noting the slow realization from Alder that he was about to lose the pedestal of Champion. It was over for him. (yes, that was a bit of quantum mechanics/physics I threw in there)_

_The collision caused a terrible shockwave, sending a bright flash of light and sound in all directions in a semi-spherical form, engulfing the entire area. Ash was tossed back like a rag-doll, laying limply on the ground. His head ached, his ribs felt like they had been squeezed by a Beartic, and his muscles had a numbed sensation. Blinking hard (there it is again...), it looked up from his spot at the surrounding region, searching frantically for Iris. That's when he noticed he wasn't outside the stadium anymore. His eyes widened._

_It seemed like as if he were in an indigo world of a continuum of flowing aura, adding variations in the color around him. He was on a ground made of nothing. The depth made him feel like as if he were laying on an invisible floor. Once again scanning his surroundings, he located Iris. Thing was, nothing else was around, and Iris was on the floor, motionless._

_"Iris!" Ash screamed in despair, color draining from his face, leaving him pale as a ghost. Jumping off of the ground, he noticed that his clothes were white as the bright flash he had just experienced. Sprinting over to where Iris lied, he knelt down next to her. Supporting her head with his left arm, he sobbed silently, eyes watering._

_"Wake up, Iris, wake up...y-you have to wake up..." the defenseless boy whimpered, hope leaving his tone. Using his free hand, he drew the body close to his own. Tears fell freely onto Iris, who had the calmest of all expressions on her perfect face. The tears were amber, just like the irises of Ash's own eyes. The salty drops were absorbed by Iris's skin, causing a reaction where she slowly faded._

_ A dark, sinister laugh resounded throughout the dimension, causing Ash to raise his eyes. In front of him was a mirror-like impression of himself, completely black except for two eyes robbed of their trademark amber color. Staring with disbelief, Ash simply clung to a slowly disappearing Iris tightly._

_"You can't leave me forever, can you..." the shadow Ash taunted with a draconic voice._ _"..._**Amicus Animae**_?" The Latin words reverberated throughout Ash's entirety. Amicus Animae, "Friend of The Soul"..._

_The realization of who the shadow was hit Ash with a certain strength that can't be scientifically explained..._

_"Y-y-you..." Ash stumbled, disbelief still encasing him. His shoulders shook as hunched over Iris. She was just a ghost in his arms._

_"You won't remember this happening until it is late tomorrow night, upon the hour of midnight, courtesy of me. You are welcome,_ **Amicus Animae**_. Worry not, we will meet soon...but this time, you won't make it..." The shadow faded into scraps of ebony cloth, floating away in a wind that went unfelt. A wind that ripped apart spirits._

_Peering down back at Iris, he found that all but her face had faded away into nothingness. Tears stopped flowing. He still felt her body warm against his. Leaning down, eyes closing, he kissed the spot where Iris's lips were. Nothing was felt. Eyes reopening, he saw that she was gone. Vanished. Away with the horrid wind. All of his muscles tensed to the point of ripping. He stared up to where the heavens should have been and shouted her name with extreme animosity._

_"IRIS!"_

(Out of Dream)

Ash sat up with a feverish sweat running down his face. The pillow he had been resting his head on was soaked with the liquid. Wiping away a clear bead that had slid down onto his eyelashes and into his vision, he calmed his rapid heartbeat down, telling himself that it was all a dream. A dream that he had dreamt for the second time in a row. The clock said that it was 4:33 A.M.

"Pikachu?" a concerned Pikachu voiced. The electric mouse Pokémon was standing next to Ash's shoulder, holding a paw on him in a sign of worry.

"I-I'm okay," Ash stuttered, relieved that it was just a nightmare. The image of his shadow haunted him still, though...he knew that this wasn't just any nightmare. This was a sign of what was to come. He knew exactly what was to come.

The door busted open as Cilan and Iris dashed past the doorway to Ash's bedside.

Unknown to all of them, a certain someone was watching from afar in a treetop, using their superb vision to spy upon Ash. The "someone's" wings were folded against their back.

The figure flicked its raven hair in satisfaction.

"You've received my message, **Amicus Animae**..."

* * *

Iris left Ash's room in a hurry, escaping into her own room. Her feelings were mixed, having been torn between hope and despair. One thing was for sure, though: she was feeling anxious. Sliding into her bed next to her snoring Axew, she tried to make sense of the situation.

_Ash almost kissed me...or did he? He hugged me, though...but was that just a "friend" thing?_ Iris could've been going insane with all the doubts and paranoia she was experiencing. In frustration, she took an extra pillow she had lying around and squeezed it with a Ursaring hug. Not a Beartic hug. She hated Ice types.

Rolling around, she tried to get some sleep. It was 10 'til midnight, but she didn't feel drowsy at all. Instead, she resorted to running her hands through her thick, purple hair. The feeling of her hands massaging her hair reminded her of Ash hugging her, his shirtless chest pressing against her. The heat that radiated from him was almost dizzying. The thought itself was almost dizzying.

The random thinking eventually led straight back to the moment they shared sitting together on Ash's bed. The little kid's face was so cute then, with the rugged haircut matching his defined jawline. His amber eyes had pierced into her very essence. At least, it felt like it.

Another blush crept into her cheeks. Tomorrow was definitely going to be an awkward day for the both of them. It was also going to be a heavy analysis day for Cilan. She just knew he was going to be observing their odd behaviors. Thinking about earlier today, she remembered the strange sensation she got from being in the same area as that fire that supposedly belonged to a Pokémon. Truth be told, she didn't even know if it was sprouting from a Dragon Pokémon, or even if it came from a Pokémon at all. She wanted to get out of their at all costs. The dark feeling that passed over her...it was like a shadow.

Iris shuddered at the very thought. Somehow, the shadow activated her fight-or-flight instinct, causing her irrational reaction. She was sure that the others felt it, too. Ash, though, wanted to go towards it, whatever "it" was...

Finally dozing off, she dreamed of a romantic date with Ash in Paris under the moonlight...

_(Dream, again...)_

_His hand rested above her knee under the table, just where her cut off. She was in a stunning red dress, form fitting and accentuated with elbow-length sleeves that ended with a rose design. Her hair was styled in one large ponytail with two ring-shaped sections of her hair dangling next to her ears (Black and White 2 Champion hair)._

_Ash himself was wearing black slacks, shined black shoes, and a white dress shirt that he had the sleeves rolled up on. A button or two was left unbuttoned around his neck. His hair, unlike his messy norm, was at least combed, though it was still in the same style. The signature gleam in his amber brown eyes shone unusually bright that night._

_The couple joked of past days, immersing themselves with memories of when they had traveled together in Unova. Ash's hand massaged Iris's knee, causing the more mature girl to blush uncontrollably. He was never one to disappoint her._

_"I love you, you know," Ash affirmed with solidity, a love-struck smile present on his face. His thumb continued to rub her leg, sending a warm shock throughout her body. Even now, she still was so responsive to him. Just his breath on her neck sent her into a shudder._

_"I love you, too, Ashy," Iris replied, flustered. They already had half a bottle of wine, so she decided it would be best if they left the restaurant A.S.A.P. before they were tempted to continue sipping at the alcohol. "Why don't we head back to the hotel?" she suggested innocently enough._

_"Why not, angel?" Ash whispered with a baritone voice. That made her smile even more. The couple got up and left the dine-in restaurant (after paying, of course), holding hands the entire way. A ring sparkled around Iris's ring finger on her left hand._

_Back at the hotel, the couple were sharing a precious kiss. Even after a hundred previous kisses, they were all memorable. They always meant something to each of them. Ash lined a series of kisses down Iris's slender neck, eventually settling on a spot next to her collar bone. He sucked roughly at the skin there, causing Iris to moan lightly._

_Her eyes closed and her head tilted back, she became lost in Ash's embrace. His arms wrapped around her waist felt so right to her. Raising his lips from her neck, Ash planted another kiss against Iris's rosy lips. The simple peck became a battle of tongues known as the French kiss. The fierce fight in their mouths didn't stop Iris from unbuttoning Ash's dress shirt._

_Reaching the last button, she drew the shirt down his arms, casually throwing the article of clothing Arceus knows where. She placed her hands on his sculpted chest. It wasn't like that of a bodybuilder, but it likened more to that of Bruce Lee. Ash's tongue eventually pinned hers down, making a smile curl up the corners of her lips. Pulling away, Iris smirked and shoved Ash onto the luxurious bed. Ash, too, had a mischievous grin on his features._

_Iris crawled onto him, curving down to connect her lips with his again. She sat on his abdomen, enjoying every second of their little make-out session. Ash's hands explored the backs of her thighs, caressing her with a tender touch. In the midst of a snog, she felt a grin form on Ash's face. He flipped her over onto her back and continued to kiss her, a little more forcefully this time. (Damn, it looks like Iris is more perverted than Ash is!) His hands ran up her legs under her dress, grasping her, well, you know. ASSets. (Remember, rated T, so don't complain you pervert ;) )_

_The Dragon Master gasped a little, then smirked. "A little handsy tonight, aren't we?" she purred._

_He followed suit. "Well, a man with my level of testosterone just couldn't help himself, could he?" he teased. "After all, I am just a little ki...mfththth..." Iris interrupted him by kissing him even harder than before. She thought about how she could live without him. The conclusion: she couldn't. Her ears perked up. Somebody called her name. Somebody...who was Ash!_

(End of Dream [you seem disappointed, you sick bastard! ;) ] )

"Iris!" Her name echoed through the halls of the motel. Opening her eyes, Iris immediately went into action. Axew, awakened by Ash's call, too, dived into Iris's hair, prepared for the worst. Now out in the hallway, she encountered Cilan in his typical grey Snuggie (I gave Cilan a Snuggie...deal with it).

"What's wrong with Ash?!" Iris half-demanded half-questioned. She mentally face-palmed herself. Cilan wouldn't know the answer.

"Don't know, but let's not stand around here any longer," Cilan stated. Iris was right. The two ran down the hall to Ash's room, busting through the door (not literally, since they probably don't want to get sued for property damage...) to see Ash sitting straight up, eyes vibrating at a terrifying speed. Iris frantically ran over to his side, grabbing a hold of his arm.

"What's wrong?" Iris asked with haste. Fear made her quiver in her skin. He turned his head to her and stared straight into her eyes. A nervous smile from him surprised her.

"N-nothing at all...just a nightmare..." he reassured her. Cilan strolled up on his other side, one hand supporting his chin.

"Just a nightmare, right? You must've had a nightmare yesterday as well. Do you have any reason why?" Cilan queried. A puzzled expression filled his face. Not only did the occurrence of another nightmare confuse him, but also the face that Iris was practically smothering Ash. Though she was easily worried and cared a lot about her friends, she was unusually close to Ash, and appeared to be on the verge of panic. He hypothesized that it might be because of how Ash reacted to the strange ambiance that enveloped them after the earthquake yesterday (its 4:00 A.M., mind you). It was beyond any of Cilan's connoisseur understanding. He felt the urge to run away from that fire...he had agreed with Iris that it was a Pokémon, but only to get out of there quickly. Ash wanted to head straight towards it, however...

"I-I guess its just that...that, well, I really want to win the Unova League and all, and I'm scared of...scared of losing, I...I guess..." Ash stumbled.

"Then why did you call Iris's name out?" Cilan pressed. That was by far the strangest part of Ash's reaction to the nightmare.

"...Y=you guys were...you were t-there...a-at the, um, b-battle...and...and Iris...s-s-she got, well, hit by a...a Shadow Ball...yeah, she got hit by a Shadow Ball, so I called out for her...yeah, that's why." Ash fumbled with his words, attempting to create a decent cover up. It failed, though. Iris and Cilan saw through it like a window. Cilan believed that he needed more info before coming up with a conclusion. Iris had a fair idea of why Ash called her name. He was dreaming about her. Problem is, it must've been a bad dream. Was it bad for her, or what?

Cilan played along with Ash's fib, hoping to get more info later. "You can see we are all fine, so you can be rest assured that we will still be here with you through thick and thin!" he exclaimed enthusiastically, throwing a honest grin in there. Pikachu, who had been standing there holding onto Ash, let out a small grin, too.

Iris smiled. "He's right, you know."

"I know. I know...thanks, you guys. Sorry for waking you. I'll be back to bed now..." Ash affirmed. The second he fell back, he was off to dozing again.

"What a little kid, snoring like that," Iris noted with a smile. A worried smile, but still a smile. Pikachu copied Ash, falling into a deep sleep, too.

"Oh well. It's time to get back to our respective rooms, then," Cilan acknowledged.

"Yeah. Let's go."

"Axew?" the Tusked Pokémon poked its head out of Iris's hair.

"Everything's alright, Axew," Iris comforted. She had a feeling she was wrong, though. That didn't sit too well with her.

* * *

The next morning, Ash woke up with a bad case of bed head. It was even worse than usual. We're talking about the "ran through a tornado and got smacked by an industrial sized fan, followed by a Thunderbolt and Volt Switch" look. Pikachu woke up along with his trainer, used to Ash's sleeping schedule (whoa, Ash has a schedule?), did the cat stretch.

"Morning, buddy," Ash mumbled. That awful morning taste covered his taste buds, making him rush to the bathroom to swish and brush it out.

"Pikachu..." the Pokémon groggily answered.

Ash brushed his teeth with his toothbrush fast enough to where the brush was only a blur in his hands. Gurgling some water and spitting it out, he examined himself in the mirror. Since all of his hair was pointing the general "up" direction, he got to see his pale forehead. There was something wrong with it though, so he took a closer inspection...

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

Iris and Cilan, whom had woken up earlier, rushed over to Ash's room for the second time that day.

"What's wrong now?" Iris asked, concern starting to fill her voice.

"I HAVE A FU...I MEAN, FRICKIN' VOLCANO ON MY FACE!" Ash yelled. With all of his hair spiked up, Ash pointed at a spot on his forehead. Cilan came in for a closer view.

"That's not a volcano. That's just a pimple," Cilan explained with ease. Ash dropped the crazy attitude and reverted back to his ignorance.

"What's a pimple?" he asked. Cilan and Iris sweat dropped.

"Another side effect of puberty. It's just a temporary skin condition. You might want to either pop that or use a cream on it," Cilan elaborated.

"Only a kid doesn't know that," Iris egged, finding it difficult to keep a smirk off her face.

"I'm not a little kid!" Ash retorted, who was having the same trouble. "Just a little ignorant."

"Axew ax..." the dragon type Pokémon that was nestled in Iris's hair muttered. It was something about Ash not being necessarily ignorant, but stupid.

"Pika..." Pikachu agreed.

Iris was thankful that Ash was inexperienced/unknowing of certain subjects; any knowledge of puberty would have made things rather awkward.

"You can view it as potato. Your face is the skin and the spuds are the pimples. Simple as that," Cilan coolly stated.

"All you really have to do is wash your face more often, Ash," Iris put in. (in her dream she was about to put out...hehe dirty humor)

"That's it? That's all you need to do to get rid of facial volcanoes? (roll credits)" Ash questioned. "Of course it is, why would I ask that if I already have the answer?" Shaking his head, he changed the subject. "Anyways, we have to get ready for today! I'm going to this place's library!"

Jaws were dropped. Eyes were popped. Heartbeats were stopped.

"You what!?" Cilan indignantly asked. It was hard to believe that Ash wanted to go somewhere with books...and words...and writing...and stuff like that.

"Yeah, I wanted to go to the library, big whoop. What of it?"

"It's just, well, not you," Iris clarified.

"I just wanted to look stuff up," Ash replied with a certain stiffness.

"Pika pi..." Pikachu groaned. Pikachu definitely did not enjoy libraries.

* * *

After cleaning up and changing into his signature Unova outfit, complete with the Poke ball symbol hat, Ash bid a short bye to Cilan and Iris. Little did they know, Ash was going to become traumatized.

At the library, which was nothing short of shabby, with its oak wood pillars, rusty hinges, creaky 10 foot tall shelves, and an outdated computer section, Ash jumped on one of the provided laptops. Pikachu less than enthusiastically sat down next to him, laying on the desk with a far away look in his eyes.

"What should I look up first, Pikachu?" Ash asked with haste. Pikachu looked up at his trainer.

"Chu..."

"It can't be that boring..." Ash grumbled, displeased with his partner's lack of excitement. Pulling up Internet Explorer, he went to (Bing can just be Scroogled) and clicked the search bar. _Let's look up...what is love?_

Typing in the phrase with unpracticed fingers, he pulled up 113 million results and started sifting through the first 10. From the info he got, love was a feeling of deep affection or, as an alternative, a sexual attachment to someone. Based on this, he decided that he did in fact love Pikachu, and, in a moment where he let his mind wander about, Iris (he still didn't consciously recognize it), in the first way, but still didn't understand the second one...

So, being the curious bugger he was, he looked up the root word of the first part of the second definition. Bad move.

After endlessly clicking all the links and absorbing all of the info on multiple sites, he was legitimately traumatized. Pikachu was sound asleep next to the laptop, though. Some of the websites actually gave legitimate scientific details on puberty (to Ash's disconcertment, that include female biology), but withal more than a few videos that Ash's mother would've frowned upon.

Acting quickly, Ash deleted all of the search history he could find and prodded Pikachu.

"Pi...?"

Whispering, Ash commanded, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on the laptop..." Pikachu, despite being confused with the motives of the order, did as told. By zapping the laptop, the internal circuits were fried, but the outside looked fine.

"Good job, Pikachu..." Ash mumbled. His face was redder than a beet. And there's the tightness again. _Damn it!_

"Pika..." Pikachu muttered before falling asleep again. Ash scratched at the pimple.

* * *

Meanwhile, back in front of the hotel, Cilan and Iris were strolling on a path to meet up with Johon again. Cilan, whom had been stirring a boiling pot of questions and inferences in his mind concerning Ash and Iris, spoke up.

"I have a few questions in mind, Iris," Cilan said, deciding to start off casually and building up to the main inquiry.

"Ask away," Iris responded, a cat-like curiosity settling upon her. Axew popped his head out of her hair, interested in the conversation.

"What do you think Ash was dreaming about early this morning?"

Iris was caught off guard by the query. How would she know? "I-I don't know, really...I'm going to just say that what he told us was true..."

"You and I both know he was lying, right?" Cilan scrunched up his eyebrows into an arch. Axew was listening intently.

"...yeah..." Iris disclosed diffidently. Her Pokémon shifted and shuffled around, inquisitive in the reasoning behind Iris's previous lie.

"Okay, then. Now I ask you: why do you think that Ash called out your name?" This was a pressing matter in Cilan's mind. He was a true romantic, enjoying finding out about other people's love lives. He especially adored the sweet, tart thing they call young love, in its unripen glory and its extensive drama.

Iris focused her field of view onto the dull sandy ground, stunned at the inquiry. Axew, too, was sent into a period of thought, still not comprehending what love is. "I...I...I-I don't have any idea..." Iris said, letting out another little white lie.

"Yes, you do. Go ahead, tell me," Cilan urged. This was exciting.

Iris looked up at the connoisseur, wondering whether or not he had any idea of what was going on in her head. Of course he did. He was a love connoisseur, after all. "You already know the answer..." she mumbled.

It was Cilan's turn to be slightly baffled. Here was the strong, independent Iris Dragonlight (he began to think of her as Iris Ketchum, imagining how that would ring) not being defiant in the face of vulnerability. "I guess I do, Iris. You mind voicing it?"

A vein popped in her temple, showing that she was becoming irritated with him exploiting her vulnerability. "Ha, ha, you got me. Yeah, I thought that Ash called out for me because of some little, childish, unfathomable, impossible, unbelievable, foolish, good-for-nothing crush..." Her voice had weakened as she went along with her descriptions, eventually breaking down into soft sobs.

"You okay, Iris?" Cilan asked, extremely worried that he might've pushed her too far. Just at the moment (Dues ex-Machina), Ash came up behind them, sprinting.

"Iris!" he shouted, closing the distance quickly. Kneeling down next to her, he whispered in a soft timbre, "What's wrong? Come on, tell me please...you're making me worry..." Iris dropped her arms to her sides and looked straight at Ash. Her chocolate eyes, usually full of independence and determination, were moist with tears and displaying a vulnerable dullness. Ash reached over to touch her shoulder for comfort, but she tackled him.

"Oof!" Ash yelled in surprise. On his back, Ash was blinded by the morning sun, which was eclipsed by Iris. "Why'd you do tha...MFTHTHTH!" Cilan's jaw dropped. He seriously did not expect that to happen. Was he just imagining what was going on in front of him, or was this just a trick of the light, refracting to form a complex mirage? No, it couldn't be, this was too detailed to be fake. Pikachu, who had previously been on his trainer's shoulder, had leapt off just in the nick of time and was stunned. Axew was too close to the action to say that it wasn't true, no matter how unbelievable it was. Ash and Iris were...they were...

* * *

**I know I got it wrong in the last chapter, so here is the cliffhanger you guys wanted! Wait, let me check...DAMN IT!**

**You guys might've been disappointed in the first part of this chapter since Ash and Iris didn't kiss, but hopefully Iris's dream filled a large void (especially for any of you perverts out there!). Slightly surprised at the lack of reviews (there's been over 480 views as of right now), but I won't give up just yet! We've got to fight to survive, blah blah blah...I forgot the lyrics to that song. I was going to put all of the lyrics of Haddaway's "What Is Love", but I decided against it. Besides, with my singing rendition of it at school (as in, random spurts of lyrics in the hallways), I think I have had enough of it. Still, though, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I made sure that included bits of drama, romance, suspense, and the like in here, so tell me how I did in mixing the different genres into this chapter. Again, if you're a writer interested in a collaboration, just P.M. me. I really would enjoy making a story with a fellow author (I'm looking at all of you successful Negaishippers; it'd be interesting to get inside your heads, in a nice way, of course ;) )**

**Favorite it, follow it, review it! Until next time, stay awesome!**

**FanFicLash signing off.**


	5. Chapter 5: Death's Kiss

**Okay, I'm back after a bit of silence on this fanfic! (I know people hate it when it takes forever to update, so I try to do so A.S.A.P. ...author problems) Sorry for the hiatus (however short it was), but I had to train for a karate test, so I focused my time on that. I actually put some thought into this chapter, so I hope that it goes well. I know I said at the beginning of all of this I said I wouldn't do something really drastic to the Pokémon Universe, and with what I'm planning to do, I really can't decide whether or not it's too crazy. But I'll try it!**

**Now, I have to address a certain SamuelElJackson and QueenSabbyIII in the review section...why am I specifically addressing them? They're actually IRL friends of mine, so I just had to give a shout out to those two. SamuelElJackson is more of a Doctor Who guy and QueenSabbyIII is more of a DMC writer, so if you're interested in that stuff, check them out! (they may not have any fanfics up, yet...I just recommended them to this site so they're new here ) Also, I have to thank everybody that reviewed. It's a great source of motivation for me, whether or not you're a reader or writer (ahem, Toadettegirl2012 ... you're kind of a celeb in the Negaishipping world)**

**This chapter, as far as I know (I only thought of the general scheme of things), is going to be focused around exploring the Draco Caves. There WILL be romantic development. I guarantee that. I might throw in some trauma and suspense to accompany that, too. Johon will not play a huge role. He's just a cave guide. Nothing special, so don't expect anything plot changing to come out of him. I'm done talking now, so get ready for the rhyme of the day...right after this disclaimer!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon or any affiliated companies. If I did, well...it'd be up there with Bleach and other anime in viewing rating. Maybe higher.**

**After a long wait, it's time to make you feel alive! Here's chapter 5! (Dear god, that one was hard to figure out...) **

* * *

**Chapter 5: Death's Kiss**

There, off of the beaten dirt path through Cave Town, in the lush green grass, moist with glowing orbs of morning dew, lay the two teenagers. The young man Ash Ketchum lied on his back, possibly staining his cobalt blue jacket. That was not what he was focused upon however. On top of him lied a mocha-colored girl with a crown of rich, cascading royal purple hair. The scent of Oran berries and lavender radiated from it, filling Ash's sense of smell. He smelled nothing else. Just her.

With eyes wide open, all he saw was an ocean of light milk chocolate and purple. Looking down, he let the view shock him. Iris's eyes were closed, her beautiful eyelashes curving away from her eyelids. Her lips were no where to be seen. Rather, they were to be felt.

Ash's mind was blowing up with nothing. Nothing filled his mind, much like how dark energy fills the universe. The lips that were out of his field of view, her lips, were firmly, aggressively planted on his. The soft, lightly moistened skin contact sent electrical charges running through their bodies, causing pins and needles to take their hold in their appendages. Total disbelief contorted Ash's facial features. This was what he wanted, wasn't it? A kiss from his love? Yet, despite these feelings, he didn't kiss back. Frozen in his expression, he couldn't move a muscle.

Iris, with eyes closed, passionately locked lips with Ash, trying her best to convey her true thoughts to him. She did truly love him, no matter all of his childish acts. He had flaws, as given to everyone by Arceus above, but they were nothing compared to his pure heart. Even as she suffocated him, she felt a ping of doubt. His lips weren't moving. He wasn't kissing her back.

On the sidelines stood the waiter/gym leader/ connoisseur, Cilan, dressed in his black vest, white dress shirt, black slacks, and black shoes, eyes contemplating the situation. Never had he thought that Iris would do such a thing, being her unified, dignified, and justified self. Nonetheless, he knew when he wasn't welcome to give an analysis, so he simply waved Pikachu and Axew over. Pikachu, the electric mouse Pokémon, turned towards Cilan and silently acknowledged what he wanted. Axew, however was still stunned at the reasoning behind why the two trainers on the ground were eating each others' faces. After a little bit more wild gesture, Axew finally scurried out of Iris's hair and went to Cilan. With the two Pokémon with him, Cilan walked off to find Johon, leaving Ash and Iris alone to sort this out. _That was a bit unexpected...a new ingredient in the recipe._

The jasper eyes blinked open, taking in Ash's tan skin, raven hair, and bright amber eyes. Eyes wide in sadness. Iris pushed off of Ash a few inches, placing her hands in the grass cushion they lied in. Her bottom lip wobbled slightly, moisture filled her big eyes, and the arms she were using for support shook violently.

"I-I-Iris..." Ash breathed, blood rushing through his face. His skin had grown to a feverish temperature, making it feel like he was burning into oblivion. He noticed how fragile Iris was getting. It frightened him.

Iris suddenly shut her eyes tightly, forcing tears to fall onto Ash's cheeks. The salty liquid might've sizzled if Ash got any warmer. Shaking her head violently, a wave of despair spreading on her face.

"N-n-n-n-n-no..." Iris muttered through a barely open mouth. Shoving herself away from the Earth (or whatever the Pokémon world is named...hmmm...I'll call it Lashlantia from now on!), or, I mean, Lashlantia (there we go!) and began sprinting away into the surrounding forest. _He can't love me..._Iris thought, sending herself into a temporary state of depression. That is, if what happened next didn't, well, happen. Ash broke free of his frozen state, nimbly rolling and standing up. He went straight into a dash after Iris.

"Iris! Wait!" Ash commanded with desperation. The sudden demand made Iris slow down to a jog, almost willfully obeying. Another depressive thought hit her, and she picked up the pace, but that was all that Ash needed. Shooting a gloved hand out, Ash wrapped his fingers around slender wrist and held her back. Ash dug his heels into the dirt, abruptly stopping Iris in her tracks. The force she had previously used to kick off with, coupled with Ash's pull, caused her to whip forward, and then back directly into Ash's chest. She sobbed loudly, whimpers coming out pitifully, despite the embrace Ash smothered her in. With one hand around her lithe waist and other on the middle of her back, he continued to muster up his courage.

"L-l-l-l-l-let m-m-me go..." Iris mewled, lightly pounding on his chest. It hurt her so much to know how much she loved him, but could never be loved back. It wrecked her to pieces. Call her crazy and bipolar, but she felt her 6th sense was right on point. To her utter despair and disappointment. She felt like she was going to be left in the same situation as when she was in Opelucid Academy: alone, and without company. This negativity caused a sense of befuddlement when she felt a warm hand cup her jawline. Blinking tears away to clear her vision, she looked up at the teen who touched her. In his amber eyes, a guilty dullness filled the pupil void. Before she could observe those eyes she had yearned for ages for another millisecond, Ash came down to her and forced his lips over hers.

The kiss held for what seemed like an eternity, passion flooding the two. The heat between the two was electrifying, both of them fully engaged in the kiss. Despite their confusion, despite their doubts, they held each other close, keeping their lips locked. All dissenting thoughts, all skeptic feelings, gone. Vanished. The only thing left was the love shown. Just that. Love. Something that Ash had a difficulty grasping, yet was now certain he truly knew what it was. He knew he loved Iris. It was as simple as that.

The warmth didn't last forever, nevertheless. The connection made that was feeling oh so touching became cold. It was almost as if a cold essence from Ash's very soul was making its way through the link, slowly traveling into Iris... Ash's eyes suddenly opened wide. The chilly mist slipped into Iris through the opening in his lips into hers, making its way down to her core. Half of it broke off between them, letting each half slip into their cores, Ash's piece coming back to where to came from, while Iris's half tunneling into her soul. The second it completed, Iris's eyes also opened abruptly. Separating from each other, Ash let go of Iris with a panicked look appearing on his features. Iris herself was shaking in her shoes, arms drooped down to her sides.

"Oh...oh no...n-n-no...oh...oh no...n-n-no...oh...oh no...n-n-no..." Ash muttered endlessly, running his hands through his hair. The cap he usually wore lied somewhere back towards the path, forgotten. He paced around, and finally looked at Iris, a horrified expression evident. Iris stared at him, baffled at the situation.

"W-what just..." Iris started before stumbling and walking in an almost drunken manner. Her hands went to her head, massaging her temples. "D-d-dizzy..." Ash ran over to catch her by the shoulders before she began collapsing. Still awake, Iris asked in a weak tone, "A-Ash...what's happening?" Smiling weakly, Ash stroked a loose hair from her face, and stared into her large chocolate eyes and his reflection he saw in them. He swore that he looked pure ebony with glowing red eyes in the mirror of her eyes...

Hugging her tightly, he whispered, "I-I don't know, but all you need to know right now is that I...I love you." Limply, she hugged him back.

"Love you, too," she let out. He gave no good answer to her question, but she disregarded it as a side effect of having her dreams fulfilled. Here was Ash Ketchum, the up and coming Pokémon master, the purest person she has ever met, the one that she was sure would always accept her, no matter her flaws. That was all that mattered to her at the moment.

Ash at the same time was thinking the exact same thing, but dread still clouded his thoughts. _Please don't tell me that was...No. It couldn't...he wasn't that powerful, was he? Not after all this time...surely he had no link here, did he? Impossible! But even the impossible can become possible...So was that really the _**Essentia**_? __It can't do that, though... _Again, he looked deep into Iris's eyes. His reflection turned to normal. He wasn't too sure everything was still normal, though...Concluding that he'd keep a close eye on Iris's behavior, he satisfied himself with losing himself in her beautiful eyes. Now a worrying potential guilt squeezed his heart. He has to finish this if he was to ever let the world off his shoulders...or, in this case, the multiverse...

They held that pose for an eternity...which, in Ash's mind, could be happening in higher dimensions. Iris was the first to free herself of the hug, rolling her ankles out of their stiffness.

"W-we'd better get going, then...Cilan's probably waiting for us up the path..." Iris gingerly said, blushing.

"Then let's go!" Ash proclaimed with confidence. His world was in a state of Yin and Yang, but he wanted to leave Iris in her happier place. The two strode back onto the dirt road and followed it. Ash took Iris's hand in his own, smiling as they turned their faces to see each other. Iris returned with her own sheepish grin. The road was ahead of them...

* * *

As the couple reached the Cave Guide building, they were intercepted by Cilan and Johon, both of which were discussing something outside. After some formal greetings, Johon took notice of Ash and Iris holding hands. He raised a thin eyebrow.

"Are you guys a couple now?" he once again asked, leaning back gradually. Another outburst was not something he wanted. The two teenagers standing in front of him glanced at each other, seemingly looking for an answer. Ash was the first to speak up. Their faces were obviously warm.

"Uh...I-I don't kn...agh!" Ash hissed as Iris quickly kicked him in the shin for his poor answer. "I-I mean, yeah...We are a couple now...Right?" At that, Ash looked directly at Iris, hoping oh so desperately that he said the right thing. Apparently, he did.

Snuggling up against his shoulder, Iris answered. "Yes. He's my boyfriend." Smiles grew on the young pair's lips. Cilan just had to say something.

"I had thought you two would be at each others' necks forever, but no, you two decided to become lovebirds," the Pokémon connoisseur teased. "Then again, Iris does seem to be the more dominant and abusive one in the relationship..." His left hand shot up to his chin and his other supported the left by the elbow. "...almost like..." He never got to finish.

"I am not abusive, you little kid!" Iris shouted at Cilan. Ash and Johon, seeing the burst of anger, shrunk away slowly, but since Iris was putting a death grip on Ash's hand, he couldn't get out of the line of fire. "And I will not deal with another connoisseur-y analogy from you today!" Ash's ears perked at this.

Cautiously, he added, "I thought you told me connoisseur-y wasn't a word..." Iris turned slowly towards him, fixing him with a death stare. Sweat dropping, Ash quickly tried to fix his mistake. "B-but I guess it can be in certain situations..."

A smirk played with the corner of Iris's mouth. Cuddling up against him, she continued, "I guess it can, can't it?"

"See, I was right!" Cilan exclaimed. Johon sweat dropped and decided to stay out of it. Pikachu and Axew were standing on the sidelines, watching with interest. "Using a threatening glare to scare him into your field!"

"I'm not abusive, damn it!" Iris shouted. An idea went through her head so brilliant, that she had to do it. Looking up at Ash, she sweetly asked, "Am I abusive?"

Thrown off guard by the question, Ash nervously answered, "N-n-no...n-not really..."

"Am. I. Abusive?" Iris repeated, a defiant tone entering her voice.

"N-n-no..."

"Now tell the truth! Am. I. Abusive?"

"N-n..."

"DAMNITANSWERTHEQUESTIONTRUTHFULLYARCEUSDAMNITAMIIRISDRAGONLIGHTABUSIVETOYOUASHSATOSHIKETCHUM!?" Iris shrieked right into Ash's face. The others sweat dropped and shrunk away while Ash just stood there, speechless. She tried to keep her composure as a mad crazy woman, but she failed. Giggles leaked out of her as she cuddled Ash's arm. Now he was baffled and speechless.

"I'm just joking around!" she admitted, rubbing her cheek against Ash's shoulder.

"W-what?" Ash rhetorically asked. This was getting a little too weird for his liking.

Fixing Ash with her beautiful jasper eyes, she charmingly replied, "As I said, I was messing around, Ashy! No need to worry!" (that Dawn reference though) Balancing herself on her tiptoes, she gave Ash a quick peck on his already warm cheek. Johon slipped back into the conversation, believing it was safe to talk now. Cilan was still going to be circumspective.

"I believe we can get going to the Draco Caves, then!" Johon ardently proclaimed. Cilan flinched.

"You think that Pokémon is calmed down?" Cilan asked, bringing up the recent happenings of yesterday. Everybody thought about that strange milieu they felt yesterday. Except for Ash. He was thinking of a deeper memory...

Anxiously, Johon responded, "I'd say we're in no danger. Surely, that Pokémon is gone by now. It's just a Pokémon." The rest of them nodded in agreement, though it was a shaky one. Ash spoke up in the midst of the quiet.

"We should get going, then! Let's go!" the teenager excitedly exclaimed, his new girlfriend holding his hand tenderly. The group admired Ash's confidence, but still questioned yesterday's events. Little did they know that this was just the calm before the storm...

* * *

After trudging in the light of the rising golden sun through a fenced in path (short fences, about 3 feet high; just so you know that the fences wouldn't prevent Ash from fighting a Zorua) for about half an hour, they finally came to the entrance to the cave. Around a dozen tourists were around, taking pictures (to be specific, selfies...the spell check said that selfie isn't a word) and chatting about their tour.

Wiping away a bead of sweat from his eyebrow, Johon said, "Here we are! The legendary birthplace of dragon type Pokémon!" He spread his arms for added emphasis, and, in Iris's opinion, cheesiness.

"You have no idea..." Ash mumbled under anybody's hearing. That is, except for his girlfriend, whom was still gripping his hand.

_You have no idea? What's that supposed to mean? He makes it sound like as if he knows for sure..._ Iris contemplated to herself. Axew shoved its head out of Iris's hair, observing the supposed birthplace of his first ancestors.

"Axew axe!" the tusked Pokémon shouted in satisfaction. The lining of just the outer walls of the caves contained crystals that sparkled in the bright light of the sun.

Pikachu, perched on Ash's shoulder opposite Iris, nodded in agreement. "Pika..." The opening into the mountain side was around 15 feet tall and 20 feet wide, giving a sense of being miniatures to the fellowship.

"I'd say it's time to go in!" Cilan said, waving his arm to signal his friends' entrance before his. Entering the cave, it was immediately obvious that the crystals glowed, thus meaning that there was no need for artificial light. Johon's group awed.

"Wonder what's in here," Iris thought aloud. Just within the first few steps they saw brighter light up ahead where the tunnel diverged.

"That's a surprise! Wouldn't be any fun if I told you," Johon said, comfortable to be in his field of knowledge.

Ash thought about what surprises they'd find. _I'm looking for my own little surprise..._

* * *

For about 5 minutes they strode through the cave paths, which were illuminated by greater amounts of crystals, all the while Johon explained the history behind it all.

"According to Unova mythology, when the Pokémon War between all regions was coming to an end two thousand years ago, priests came here to pray to Arceus for peace. After multiple sacrifices, prayers, and ceremonies, Arceus finally came and commanded the trio masters of the regions to stop the bloody war!" Johon described.

"The Pokémon War? Isn't that a taboo topic?" Cilan inquired. Nobody he ever met in the city talked of the Pokémon War, even in history lessons.

"Yes, for city folks. We out here believe that it is best to learn the most about your culture," Johon explained casually. It was apparent that he was subject to such questions multiple times.

"In that case, then what caused the Pokémon War?" Iris asked. Not even the Elder in the Village of Dragons mentioned it.

"No one knows. It's a mystery, but according to hieroglyphs found all around the world in caves like this, the Pokémon War happened. It might explain the lack of legendary Pokémon. Legendary Pokémon reproduce, too, so you'd think there'd be many of them by now." This was his truthful answer, though Ash knew that it was no mystery. To him. It was no question of what, no who, caused the Pokémon War. Rather, it was a question of when it will happen again...

Soon, in about 10 minutes, they came across some hieroglyphs on the walls. Etched into the marble walls (adds to the look of the cave in my opinion) were images of various dragon type Pokémon, specifically one the was drawn above them all: Arceus.

"Look at that!" Iris squealed. Being a dragon lover, she was excited by anything dragon related, animate or not. Running over to the drawings, she took in all of the views. Sadly for Ash, she was still holding his hand. He yelped as she dragged him over to the crystal encrusted wall, stumbling as he tried to keep up with her speed. Johon and Cilan chuckled at the display.

Joining them, Johon explained, "This is the picture the ancients drew of Arceus forming all dragon types. Dated about 10,000 years ago, it is well preserved compared to other hieroglyphs."

"There's a Garchomp, Haxorus, Salamence...wait, what's that Pokémon?" Iris listed until she pointed out one drawing, which was simply a silhouette. In comparison with Arceus (who is around 10 feet tall, mind you), it appeared to be around 20 feet tall. Johon examined the Pokémon that Iris directed her finger at and arched an eyebrow.

"That's a mystery. Nobody knows what that Pokémon is, and no legends mention anything like it. It's up there with Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina, but look at its enormous size! To me, though, that's not as nearly mysterious as the human figure standing next to it," Johon said, noting the human silhouette that stood next to the Pokémon in question to the group. Cilan leaned forward towards the drawing to better examine it.

"Whoever it is, they sure do have some messy hair, " Cilan said. A connection popped into his mind. Looking back at Ash, he continued, "In fact, it looks a lot like your messy hair, Ash!"

Sweat dropping, Ash replied, "Nah, come on! My hair isn't that bad!" Turning his attention to Iris, he asked, "Is it?" In answer, Iris ruffled what hair was sticking out from her boyfriend's cap.

"It's fine!" she assured. Returning her focus to the question at hand, she asked, "So we don't have any idea of who that human is, or even what the Pokémon's name is?"

"Not a one. But it is known that this mystery Pokémon is a dragon type. Take a gander at its humongous bat-like wings, broad, spiked body, minotaur horns, and razor sharp bladed tail! It seems to quite the phenomenal specimen!" Johon responded. "The only other image depicting Arceus creating dragon types was almost a 100% identical copy. However, this is where it becomes mind-boggling, the image of the mystery Pokémon and human is missing! In its place is a humanoid silhouette with wings. With the spiked hair and bladed tail, it seems most likely that the Pokémon and human were somehow linked and fused!"

Cilan dropped his jaw. "Fusion between a Pokémon and a human being isn't possible by today's physics! That's amazing!"

"Don't go into all of your science right now, Cilan! Nobody has seen this thing before, so we can't say much about it," Iris noted. _Flick..._ Ash heard the sound in his mind. Just in his mind. Searching through his thoughts quickly to see what could've made the sound, he realized it was one that he made on a regular basis. The simple flicking of hair out of his field of vision. Why would he hear that now...

* * *

Another 20 minutes passed as the group came up to a large room (if you can call it that) at the end of a path, gigantic in size. Shaped like a sphere, it was around 100 feet wide and 90 feet tall. At it's acme was a hole with a beam of light shining through it.

"That light is from outside. The hole you see goes all the way to the surface, and when that light makes contact with all of the crystals along the way, it's amplitude increases. Physicists haven't been able to figure out why or how it amplifies, yet," Johon narrated.

"It's beautiful in here..." Iris whispered, admiring the various gemstones that layered the walls. Everything from emeralds to diamonds shone in the light of accompanying crystals and the (I guess) skylight.

"Pikachu..." Pikachu, who had hopped off of Ash's shoulders to touch the stones, agreed. Snores from Iris's Axew were heard, despite the hair that the sound had to travel through.

Iris sweat dropped. "I had thought Axew would've liked it in here, but I guess he gets easily bored," she said. The rest of the group laughed, except for Ash. He was intently gazing at the floor. "What's wrong?"

Ash glanced up at her, replying, "Nothing." In reality, he was telling the truth. He was looking for something, but it turned out to be nothing. Sure, he was only 3 at the time, but it was still a very much alive memory in his mind. One that he wasn't about to verbally say aloud just yet. He needed more time to figure out where he'll find his **Amicus Animae**. If his summoning wasn't here, then where could it be? Unintentionally, he lightly squeezed Iris's hand.

"You sure?" she asked, concern becoming evident on her face. The others were inspecting him intently, too. "You seem a little on edge."

Throwing on one of his signature naïve grins, Ash said, "I'm okay. Just wanted to look around a little bit. It is the birthplace of dragon types, so I thought there might be something they left behind." More specifically, what _he_ left behind. A symbol in the middle of the floor that was nonexistent now. Reincarnation wasn't a means to show good luck.

At that moment of thought, a sudden roar echoed throughout the cave, reverberating the walls, bits of dust and crystals falling down onto the rock floor. Panic filled everybody there.

"T-t-that sounded like the one we heard yesterday!" Cilan quickly pointed out, eyes widening. Ash mentally shook his head. He should've figured that _he_ was always watching. This was just a tease.

"Let's get out of here before it comes!" Johon suggested, waving his coterie to the exit of the room whilst making a dash for it. Cilan followed along, and Iris would've if not for Ash. He was just standing there, glaring at the ceiling.

"Ash! Hurry!" Iris shouted, trying to pull her boyfriend from his spot. It was proven futile, though, as Ash was just a statue.

Still standing as still as ever, Ash eerily said, "Go without me, Iris." Without taking his eyes off the roof, he continued, "Follow her, Pikachu. I have business to attend to here." Iris saw a red light twinkle in Ash's eyes as another bellow shook the very foundations of the mountain. A large rock full of crystals broke off one of the far walls, crashing as it hit the ground.

Cilan and Johon were looking back behind them, waving the couple to hurry up. Iris saw this, and turned back to Ash, begging, "Please, we have to go! We'll get crushed!" Ash didn't even blink.

Turning his head to gaze straight into her worrying jasper eyes, and though he knew it hurt her, he replied, "No...you have to go. Get to safety." Before Iris could protest, he said, "Please..." A dulling sadness overcame the gleam in his eyes. Iris hugged his arm tightly.

"I-I won't go...I-I'll stay..." The reply she gave silently shocked Ash, yet saddened him. A smile slowly spread on his face. "Axew...Pikachu...go..." Obediently, the Pokémon sprinted out of the room. The patters of Cilan, Johon, and the Pokémons' footsteps filled in the spaces between the roars and the rumble of the walls. Twisting on his heel, Ash brought Iris into a hug.

Whispering, he said, "You just don't get what's safe or not, do you?" Iris's lips twitched into a grin.

"Not at all..." she cooed back. Releasing herself from Ash's grip, she asked, "Why are you staying here?" Another small boulder fell off the ceiling and crashed ten feet away, making Iris flinch at the impact. Ash sighed, smile disappearing.

"Promise me you won't try anything stupid, ok?" Ash said sincerely. In response, Iris brought herself up on her toes and locked her lips to Ash's. Happily, yet solemnly, he kissed her back passionately. A good minute passed before they separated.

"I'll try," Iris said with a small smirk on her rosy lips, and with that, she pecked Ash on the lips. A smile played on Ash's features.

"Let me see if I can find what I'm looking for, then," Ash breathed, holding Iris's hand as he walked to the center of the room. Iris was still feeling a sense of fear as the roars continued and rocks continued to fall, but if Ash wasn't scared, for any reason unknown to her, then why should she be?

In the middle of the dusty floor, Ash let go of her hand and kneeled to the ground. Swiping it with his hand, all he found was more dirt. A frustrated expression appeared on his face.

"What is it?" Iris asked. Just then, a rock fell from the center of the ceiling, next to the hole.

The rock itself held embedded crystals of various colors, from purple to red. It had cracked from the solid ceiling and was falling straight down, twisting and turning as it went. Its trajectory wasn't difficult to determine. The sight was horrifying to Iris.

_Crack!_ The small boulder, around 75 lb., hit Ash in his back, sending him into the ground with a thud.

"Ash!" Iris shrieked in terror. Her blood went cold. In front of her was her crushed boyfriend. Adrenaline pounding, Iris dropped to her knees and shoved the rock off of his limp body, straining her muscles and putting her spirit into it, eventually tumbling it off of him. Ash's jacket was soaked with sticky blood, giving the white a red appearance and the blue a sickly purple. Tears began falling from Iris's face as she rolled him over onto his back. "Ash!" she shouted in despair once again, working on his jacket's zipper. Unzipping it, she saw the most terrifying sight that she had ever seen.

Many of his ribs were cracked and broken, half of which were compound fractures. Bits of bone stabbed through his skin, only adding to the already cringe-inducing abrasions that covered much of his upper body. Blood leaked and oozed out of his multiple wounds, forming a puddle that he just lied in. His eyes were barely open, sucked dry of life. His chest looked like it had caved in, though it still moved up and down minutely. "Ash..." Iris moaned in internal pain. Somewhere inside of her, a cold sphere shook violently. It wasn't that "lover just died" feeling that accompanied it, but something that felt sinister... Her energy was drained from her, not from just sadness, but by that essence...

"_Iris..._" Iris's eyes widened suddenly. Looking back at Ash, she saw that his eyes were now fixed on her, but his lips left unmoving. "_Iris...sorry you had to see something like this, and I know you might get mad at me for saying this, but...don't worry right now. I'll live..." _It was Ash's voice! Ash was somehow speaking into her mind! "_Huh, I see that you actually heard me up there...That's somewhat saddening..." _The voice took on a melancholy tone.

"H-h-h-h-how are you...t-talking...h-how..." Iris stuttered, disbelief filling her mind.

_"Talking through telepathy? See, that's a bit hard to explain without going into quantum physics and all, so all you need to know is that I'm not dead. Thankfully. Yes, all of this hurts a bunch, but I'll recover soon enough...that is, if _**he** _wants to stay without handicaps..." _Ash answered. To Iris's confusion, and potential relief, the blood on the ground was disappearing...not into the ground, but back into Ash. _"You can say it has its advantages..._"

Iris thought she was dreaming. This can't be happening, no matter how much she wanted it to...The world just didn't work like this...Ash's eyes widened by a sliver, a reddish twinkle once again appearing in his eyes. Inside of her, that cold sphere calmed itself down, returning some of her energy. "W-w-who's he?" Iris nervously asked, unknowing of whether or not she wanted to know.

After a moment of silence, and a few cracks and pops, to Iris's incredulity, Ash mentally answered, _"Drakonum..." _(hip, hip, hooray for made up Pokémon name that I created by mixing Latin and Old English!) Iris's mind flew back to the hieroglyphs.

"I-I-Is that the unknown Pokémon?" Iris asked. Her mind was likely to blow up from everything going on. Her entire world was being turned inside out.

"I guess so..." Ash said aloud, making Iris jump in surprise. She had been focusing on her hands for the last few minutes, trying to contemplate everything. Any visible signs of damage were gone, and apparently no internal injuries, either, as Ash was sitting up, supported on arms. A light chuckle escaped Ash's mouth. "Drakonum was always such a pestering bastard. Even when he knows he can't do anything, he tries to remind me of his evil...That may sound a little bit cheesy, but it's true."

Iris was in a state of paralysis. Ash had just shrugged off a fatal injury like it was nothing in a span of 5 minutes. "E-e-explain," she demanded. Ash looked up at her.

"The last time this happened was when I was 6. I was freshly killed from being run over by a car, and then Drakonum came. Not physically, of course, but just like now: he healed me. It's all a long story, starting when I was 3, but I don't think you're ready to hear all of it just yet. You still have to untangle the mess of things that just happened, right?" Ash stated coolly. It was creepy how he talked lightly this, but a determined look was in his eyes.

"What do you mean by 'not physically'?" Iris asked. This puzzled her just as much as anything else.

"Like I said, it's hard to explain. Thing is, Drakonum is one of a kind. Arceus was experimenting with different types of Pokemon, including dragon types. Drakonum's secondary type is dragon, but it's the first type that matters," Ash stated casually. "He's a Quantum type." This news didn't shock Iris at all. She couldn't get any more surprised than she already was. "Why he wants me, I'm not 100% sure about. He heals me, but I believe I know why...I'll tell you after you settle down and all." Iris was shivering violently. Out of the blue, she gave Ash an Ursaring hug. "Ow! I'm alive and all, but I'm tender right now!"

A single tear streaked down Iris's cheek. "Don't ever scare me like that again..." Iris whispered. She let instinct take over. It didn't matter at the moment what was underlying all of this mystery. It didn't matter that she didn't really know who this Drakonum was, or why Ash knew so much about him. It didn't even matter that they were probably still in danger. He was alive. Ash decided it'd be best to just hug her through the pain.

"It's not really my fault. I couldn't really tell that rock to go wherever, you know," Ash retorted.

Iris squeezed him tighter. "You're such a little kid...You were the one that wanted to stay..."

Ash sweat dropped. "Well, yeah, I guess...Didn't you want to know why I wanted to stay?"

Ears perked up, Iris answered, "Y-y-yeah..."

Sighing with a sense of dread, Ash concluded that he had to tell her. Not everything, maybe. He might...Hell, he might as well. Lashlantia wasn't going to be any worse off with Iris knowing exactly what was going on. "From the beginning, then?" Iris nodded. "Might as well be cheesy, since this isn't a fairytale...Well, once upon a time..."

* * *

**Whoa, FanFicLash WTF just happened!?**

**Yep, I know that's what you're thinking. A Quantum type Pokemon? This Drakonum? Ash being resurrected? What the hell was that cold essence? Why did this Drakonum want to heal Ash? WHAT THE F*** (I haven't introduced this word into the dialogue, yet, so I'll keep it censored just because) IS GOING ON!?**

**Most of these questions can be explained using quantum physics. For example, Drakonum's reason for healing Ash can be derived from knowing the properties of elementary particles when concerning spin integers over cohered particles across large distances. If you have some idea of that, you might know why Drakonum wants to heal Ash. Using String Theory, you can probably find out why Drakonum isn't physically here. Basically, SCIENCE!**

**Does it seem a bit far fetched? Seriously, Dialga can control Time, Palkia can control Space, and Giratina has entire dimension of Antimatter for crying out loud, so this can't be too bad, can it?**

**Yes, I'll be explaining EVERYTHING next chapter; however, the story arc will not end for around another 3-5 chapters. (OMG, he said story ARC...what does THAT mean, hmmm?)**

**This chapter might be a little bit rough around the edges, so I'm sorry for that. My girlfriend is moving away during Christmas break, so I haven't really thought too hard about this chapter, so again, sorry about that.**

**If you think I should smooth over the last part of this chapter a bit more, just say so in the reviews, and I'll fix it up in around a week.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, sooo...**

**Favorite it, Follow it, Review it! Until next time, stay awesome!**

**FanFicLash signing off.**


	6. Chapter 6: Quantum Leap

**Hey, what's up again guys, this FanFicLash! Finally got this chapter of Growing Up finished, and from rereading it, you might want to be prepared for some serious quantum physics (thankfully, I didn't include any of the complex math...phew...)! Most, if not all, of the "Amicus Animae" connection will be explained in this chapter, so get ready to be overwhelmed by a ton of info.**

**Also, if you noticed from the last chapter, this is simply a story arc. I will include further story arcs, potentially including quantum type Pokemon happenings, as well (e.g. transporting Ash and Iris into our world...that should be fun!). It wouldn't surprise me if this entire fanfic goes on for a good 30 chapters or so. Because of that, I will be working on other fanfics, as well (e.g. Jar of Hearts, etc.). I will continue trying to increase the size of the chapters as I go on, so bear with me as I try to fill the Black Space. (let's play guess that reference!) Also, I wanted to know what you guys would think of starting a Negaishipping forum/thread. I personally think that it'd be an interesting idea, considering Negaishipping isn't the most popular Pokemon shipping, but could have some great potential. P.M. me if you're aboard with the idea, and we'll discuss where to start such a forum. I know that has a forum thing, but I wonder if we can start it on other sites, too.**

**I don't really have much to say up here in the header section, so let's get to the story!**

**Disclaimer: Stop. Asking. Me. I don't own Pokemon, and probably never will. Sadly. Ugh...**

**Let's see what makes Drakonum tick, right here in Chapter 6!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Quantum Leap**

"Once upon a time," Ash cheekily began, "...there was this boy named Ash." Iris crossed her arms, signaling her frustration.

"You don't have to be so demeaning, ya know," she scolded. They were stuck in a crumbling cave room with the exit in crystal clear view, not 20 feet away, and here was Ash Ketchum, recently raised from the dead, telling his life story like as if it were a fairytale.

Holding his hands up in innocence, Ash replied, "I wasn't being demeaning! Just trying to a good story teller!" He was sitting up on the dirt floor, which was dry of the blood that recently stained it, one knee bent with an elbow resting on it. Adjusting his hat, he looked at his girlfriend with solemn eyes.

"Were to," Iris accused. Ash silently snickered to himself. Her attempt to appear threatening, raising her chin and glaring at him with her dazzling jasper eyes set into caramel brown skin, whilst kneeling was quite a sight. He knew that this was a serious matter; after all, she has no idea what is going on at all, and he was just resurrected, so she was probably freaking out inside. Who was he kidding, of course she was freaking out. Though she did hide it rather well.

"Were not," Ash retorted. Iris's glare deepened on him, but she wasn't really mad at him. She was, at the very least, discombobulated. (always wanted to use that word!)

"Were...you know what, weren't you telling a story?"

Ash blinked (there he goes with the damn blinking again...). Sheepishly grinning, he answered, "Oh yeah...anyways, from the info I've gathered, I was stolen from my house in Kanto when I was three, and..."

Before he could finish, Iris cut in. "Wait, you were stolen?" It was Ash's turn to pop a vein.

"Yes, I was _stolen_," Ash sarcastically stated. "Now, before I'm interrupted again..."

"Sorry..." Iris apologized. The added interruption made Ash facepalm.

Continuing yet again, Ash said, "Back to the story. I don't know who stole me, or what their overall goal was, but my mom went crazy. She had the police send out an amber alert, send out search teams, excavate our house for clues, and all. Thing is, by then I wasn't even in Kanto. I was in Unova, here, in this very cave."

Iris cocked her head, sliding closer to Ash's side. "You were here..." she mumbled to herself, staring into his amber eyes, which were focused upon the ground they sat on. Casting a glance at Iris, Ash gripped her hand warmly.

"According to my source, there was a glowing symbol in the middle of the floor here, fueled by the focused light of the hole in the ceiling. My kidnappers had a large mechanism that utilized the symbol, and somehow, someway, they transferred Drakonum from one of the 11 dimensions to our own set of 4," Ash explained. Iris clasped Ash's hand even tighter.

"W-w-where did Drakonum come from?" she asked. A mental image of what happened began to form in her mind.

Ash hesitated. He wasn't completely sure about the answer to her question. His source didn't talk much of it. "To be truthful, I think that Drakonum was supposed to be part of the group including Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina that Arceus formed. Arceus was supposedly experimenting with a different type of Pokemon, which is, as I've said, the Quantum type. This Pokemon, known as Drakonum, was far too powerful, though." (like Mega-Mewtwo; completely OP)

Acknowledging the narrowing of Ash's eyes, Iris leaned her head on his shoulder. Out of the corner of her vision she saw the corner of his lip curl up into a smile.

"Arceus lost control of him. Drakonum took down the other Pokemon with frightening ease, forcing Arceus to lock in him away in a higher dimension. Which one, I don't know, but when he was 'summoned', so to speak, he bonded..." Ash thought of how to put this next part into a simple explanation. The mechanics behind it were quite tricky.

Ash's silence worried Iris, prompting her to say, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing...it's just...it's harder to explain this next part..." Ash clarified. Sighing, he created a watered down version of his explanation of "bonding". "Since Drakonum is a Quantum type Pokemon, he has Quantum characteristics. One of these characteristics is something known as Quantum Entanglement. This is the linking of two elementary particles, which are particles that do not have any sub-particles making them up, due to the fact that they are in the exact same or opposite states, including spin integer, color charges, quark flavors, etc. This entanglement not only links them, but if one of the entangled particles is affected, then simultaneously, no matter the distance, the other particle is affected similarly. By means unknown to me, Drakonum was forced to use a form of this Quantum Entanglement on me, connecting us forever. In nature, Quantum Entanglement is super sensitive, and thus is extremely rare, but due to Drakonum being the master of Quanta, he has managed to maintain it all these years. Drakonum was sent back to his dimension almost immediately, however, because the enormous amount of energy that was fueling the machine that transported Drakonum from his dimension, or dimensions, to ours was gone in a blink. All of this dimensional talk can be explained by String Theory by the way." Ash included that last bit when he saw Iris with a baffled look in her eyes. "Should I continue?"

Iris snapped out of her trance. She had known that Ash was clever, but never had she thought he would be so in the scientific way. "Y-y-y-y-yes..." Ash wrapped his arm around her waist as he continued to explain. Another roar echoed through the cave, rumbling the foundations. Iris flinched.

Massaging her side, Ash comforted her before proceeding with his science. "Don't worry about it...Anyways, and this is where I start theorizing, I believe that Drakonum only heals me so I can bring him back." Ash was met with a questioning expression from Iris. "When comparing quarks in a hadron, like a neutron or a proton, the total spin integer can be taken. Spin integer is a quantized measure of the angular momentum of a particle around its axis that can't be explained by orbital angular momentum, fermions having 1/2 integer spins and bosons having whole spins. Thing is, elementary particles have an interesting property where they can turn in all directions at once, and the spin can only be determined at the moment of measurement and observation. Total spin integer is simply the addition of these spin integers. The same thing, interestingly, applies to life forms that are linked by Quantum Entanglement, so if one is alive and one is dead, then the total life of the two is nothingness. Drakonum doesn't want that to happen, so through interdimensional means, he heals me before complete death. Like I said, I was plowed over by a car when I was 6 and should've been dead and then some. But, I survived because of Drakonum. Not that he wants to help me. Rather, I think, and I stress the fact that I only think this might be true, that I'm his only hope for returning to our set of dimensions, letting him regain his freedom. Just a thought."

Iris understood probably half of that. Most likely less. But by picking bits and pieces of it apart, she figured out a question. "H-h-how did he cause that fire yesterday and roar, then?" If what Ash said was right, though barely discernable, then Drakonum can't come here yet.

Using his free hand, Ash scratched his zigzagged cheeks. "With all of his power, and Quantum Entanglement, Drakonum can make temporary links to our set of dimensions, also known as Depth, Height, Width, and Time. Through that link, he just decides to be an ass, pretty much. Roaring loudly and setting forests on fire...and maybe blowing up your toilet when you really need it...and I mean really need it..."

"Why?" Iris asked. Now Drakonum was just sounding less menacing and more like an interdimensional douchebag. Not a name anybody would like to earn.

Ash let out a small laugh. "I guess he really wants to provoke me, constantly reminding me of his presence...He does it to make me find a way to confront him. If I confront him, I may or may not be able to snap the Quantum Entanglement. If I fail, I might just bring him here on accident. But if I succeed, I don't have to worry about him anymore. That's why I came here." This confused Iris. Then again, she was confused the second Ash started going into all of his science lingo.

Nervously, Iris questioned, "What do you mean by that?"

"Residual substances left from the machine used here 12 years ago may have increased the periods in which Drakonum can create his links when I'm here, thus increasing my confrontation chance..." Ash thought back to the horrible dream that Drakonum had sent to him just the night before. Drakonum was indeed getting stronger over time. Never before had he influenced his dreams so strongly...nor had he ever manipulated his feelings and emotions like he did that night... "Plus, I hoped to find more clues that my kidnappers might've left behind. They've already left a lot of open questions. Who were they? How'd they know of Drakonum? Why'd they steal me of all people?" Ash's eyes became dull. _How does the _**Essentia **_work? _The inner workings of the very essence of life form Quantum Entanglement. A second soul... "As far as I know, I was silently returned to my home. Why, I don't know. My life is half mystery, half being a kid..." Ash light-heartedly joked.

A slight blush appeared on Iris's face. Looking up at Ash, she saw him come down closer to her, eventually pressing his lips against hers. The soft contact sent sparks rushing through them, warming their entire beings. The young couple held the kiss for 5 seconds before separating.

"Did my explanation clear things up?" Ash asked innocently, like as if he had said the secrets to adding 2 and 2.

Smirking, Iris replied, "Just as clear as granite." A grin played on Ash's lips.

The roars stopped. Taking note of this, Ash said, "Looks like the link is broken. Well, back to searching this place." Leaping onto his feet, he held his hand out to help Iris up. She took his hand, and to her surprise, he yanked her up quickly. Spinning her around and catching her before she fell, he dipped her in the signature "end of waltz" pose. Smirking mischievously, Ash leaned down and kissed Iris's lips.

Iris, though surprised, happily kissed him back, soon unable to keep her laughter from breaking the kiss and using a hand to push Ash's face off of her. Helping her straighten up, Ash had his naïve grin on his face.

"You know, I don't think we'll find much here," Iris stated, walking to the edge of the wide room hand in hand with Ash. The light from the ceiling and the crystals on the walls cast dull shadows around the cave.

"Why's that?" Ash inquired.

She flashed Ash a look of bafflement. "You're into all of this quantum physics crap, but you can't even guess why there might not be any evidence here, in a popular tourist destination that's visited by thousands of people?"

Ash scratched his jaw. "Nope." Iris facepalmed as they strolled the outer perimeter of the circular cavern, inspecting the sides and floor as they went along. Ash was kicking at the ground with the toe of his shoe when he snagged something (I needed a Deus Ex-Machina kind of thing here :P ) "Huh?" He bent down to pick up, digging his hand into the softened dirt. Buried under there was something orange...

"What's that?" Iris asked, craning her neck to see what it was. Tugging it from the earth, Ash shook off the dirt that clung to it. It was an orange piece of cloth made of a material that felt like it belonged on a suit.

"It's cloth. It feels hella expensive, too," Ash noted. Silently, they both began to ponder where it might've came from. Ash could've swore that he recognized it from somewhere deep in his memories, far back into his life. Shoving it into his unzipped jacket's pocket, he blinked (Arceus damn it...).

They scrutinized the rest of the cave until Iris asked, "You said that you got your info from a source...who's that?" She saw Ash twitch.

In a circumspective manner, Ash responded, "Drakonum." Seeing Iris's shock, he further explained, "Another thing about him is that, like an electron, he can be in multiple places at once, which applies to his mood. Sometimes he tells me things in a cheery mood, other times he'll depress me in a dark mood." At those last words, an expression of one who's crestfallen flickered on Ash's features. Before Iris could comment on it and make him go any deeper, he said, "I believe that's all we've got. Let's head out before Cilan and the rest of them get too worried."

Iris nodded in agreement when another question popped up in her mind. "W-where we off to from here? We're already running late for your next gym battle..."

Exhaling heavily, Ash replied, "I guess we have to go back on the road. Sure, I really want to stay here and...fix everything, but like you said, we're off schedule...Besides I've got a place to in mind..." Ash had muttered the last sentence, hiding it from Iris's hearing. The two left the cavern room and fixed their route to the exit of Draco Caves. Once out of all fields of sensory receptors, a figure dark as any void shimmered into existence in the middle of the room. Ash and Iris were too far off by now to notice, having already passed various corners and walked a good 1/4 mile.

Along with the silhouette came a blinding symbol that shined with a bright white light on the floor, shaped like the arrangement of quarks in a hadron, gluons floating in between the trio of elementary particles changing the quark color charges. The Strong Force (look it up...in fact, look any of this up, it's all based on real science...except for life form Quantum Entanglement...I kind of made that up...)...

_Flick._ The figure swept a loose lock of raven hair out of its field of vision, a light chuckle escaping it. _Foolish to think Drakonum is the only one here, don't you think, Ash?_

* * *

Ash and Iris squinted as their eyes adjusted to the stunning sun. Finally striding out of the caves, which was accompanied by only a few tourists this time of year, the couple laid eyes upon Cilan, Johon, Pikachu and Axew, all of whom were pacing around nervously, mumbling to themselves. Pikachu was the first to look up.

"Pika!" the electric mouse Pokemon decreed in great delight, making a dash for Ash (a slight rhyme here and there never hurts!). The rest of them turned their attention to the two new lovebirds, solemn expressions turning cheery. Pikachu slammed into Ash, digging under his unzipped jacket. Watching them, Iris began to blush when she realized that Ash wasn't wearing a shirt under his thin coat. After Pikachu had successfully tunneled under the cover of his jacket and onto Ash's shoulder, Ash momentarily glanced over to Iris and discerned the light pink color that expanded across her cheeks. That's when he realized that he had his jacket unzipped, causing him to quickly zip it back up to the hollow of his neck. The shadow of his cap was the only thing keeping her from knowing that he, too, was blushing.

Scratching that special spot between Pikachu's pointed ears, Ash said, "Hey, buddy! You okay?" Pikachu nodded, eyes smiling from his cheeks. Axew sprinted over to Iris, shouting his name in glee. Gleefully, Iris lifted the olive drab tusked Pokemon up, allowing him to enter her winsome hair.

"Hey, Axew," Iris whispered gently, giggling as Axew nudged his head out of her body of hair.

"Good to see you two got out of there in time," Johon stated, a hint of concern painting his tone. "Parts of the cave you guys didn't get to see caved in, so we were worried sick about you." The piece of info he didn't include, however, was that the atmosphere of dread had come down upon him yet again, just like it had yesterday on their trek to Draco Caves, when that unseen Pokemon roared. Unbeknownst to the rest of them, Cilan, too, had felt the same milieu.

"It was like waiting on a cake that uses a new recipe: we didn't know whether the ending would be sweet or distasteful!" Cilan added in his usual cooking connoisseur-y speak. (even I have to agree that connoisseur-y is a word) Ash and Iris sweat dropped, thinking of just how utterly cheesy that phrase was. "Thankfully, it ended up sweet, as I see you're both okay. Maybe a little bit sweeter than I had thought...Now, Iris, mind explaining why Ash's jacket was open?" Cilan was just teasing them now.

The couple's blushes heated up by a few degrees, embarrassed, yet irritated indications taking a hold on their features.

"Aren't you two a little bit young to be naughty?" Cilan jabbed, stirring up a pot of humor. It was pure fun to poke fun at the couple to him.

"CILAN!" Ash and Iris shouted with a scolding timbre. Thanks to Cilan, perverted thoughts clouded their minds, ranging from...No, no, no, not here, not today. This isn't a lemon fanfic, now is it? No naughty stuff for you guys, now. Going back to rated T...

Iris and Ash were doing their best not to look at each other, trying to avoid an even more awkward situation. "I-I-It was...was hot...yeah, it was hot as hell in there! I didn't want to get hyperthermia or anything like that, you know!" Ash fibbed, a dull glaze setting over his bright amber eyes. He and Iris were the only ones standing there that knew the truth behind the reason his jacket was unzipped, and they wanted it to stay that way.

"I'd bet! Hot, sweaty, and heavy..." Cilan began before an abrupt interruption.

"SHUT UP!" Iris reprimanded, stomping her foot down into the ground and kicking up a small cloud of dust. Cilan simply chuckled at the reddening faces of the young couple. "Besides, we aren't that young!" Ash arched an eyebrow at this.

"Wait, we're 14, though," he said.

A calm expression smoothing her face, Iris smirked as she replied, "You're such a little kid. This is the Pokemon world, remember? There's 435 days in a year! Yes, we're 14, but biologically, we're 16! Just ask the reader about the math." She gestured towards you. Everybody looked into your eyes.

Sweat dropping, Johon asked, "What are we supposed to be looking at?" The group saw nothing.

A vein popped in Iris's temple. "Never mind! You're all such kids..."

"Oh, I see them! Nice to meet you, reader!" Cilan formally greeted. You disappeared in Iris's eyes.

"Okay, now your going crazy," Ash said. Cilan's face expressed confusion.

"But look there! The reader's shipping you two!" Cilan explained, pointing at you. Rather rude, isn't it? Pointing isn't nice.

"Who?" Johon queried, thoroughly baffled.

You became invisible to everybody then and there. Cilan took notice, saying, "Never mind..." (Sorry about that little lapse. My Fanfiction Universal Transportation Device malfunctioned, so I had to fix that real quick before you became to much of an integral part of the story. You're welcome! Plus, I think 16 year old Iris and Ash is a whole lot better.)

"I guess we're done for today's tour...Sorry about the disturbances you've had to go through since coming here," Johon apologized.

"No worries! I think they made today all that more memorable," Cilan assured, dusting off his waiters uniform with an oversized brush. (Like I said in Chapter 3: Drake It Off, Cilan can fit anything and everything into his pockets!)

"I'd say," Ash agreed, winking at Iris. In return, Iris tenderly rubbed his hand with her thumb. This was Cilan's second chance.

"Now, now, that's not for the public's eye, is it?" Cilan teased, nodding his head at Iris's action. Steam was practically leaking out of the couple's ears.

"CILAN!"

* * *

Making their way through Cavern Town's less than crowded streets, the group took quick notice of an older woman with thick framed glasses muttering something under her breath.

Passing them by, they swore that they heard her say, "Damn brats breaking the laptops...going to see what their search history was, those little shits..." Ash swung his gaze back and forth between his companions, hoping nobody asked him about it.

Reaching the old motel, Johon spoke up. "Again, I'm sorry for the tour being so short. If there's anything I can do to make..." Before he finished, Ash intercepted his speech.

"It's okay! Believe me, you don't have to do anything extra." His voice was cheery, matching his naïve grin perfectly.

"Ash's right, you know. We're all good," Iris included.

"Truth be told, it's we who thank you," Cilan further added. This brightened Johon's mood.

"Well, then you're welcome, I guess," Johon replied with a little bit of zest. "This is farewell, then?"

Smiling, Ash answered, "I believe it is."

"In that case, best wishes Johon!" Cilan said enthusiastically.

"Hope to see you again!" Iris cheerfully said.

"Best wishes it is!" Johon replied, walking back to the Cave Guide building, waving a thin hand back at the trio. After he was out of view, Ash turned on his heel to his companions.

"So what's next?" he asked, his trademark grin present on his face. Cilan pulled out his digital map, pushing a few of its buttons.

Creasing his eyelids, Cilan answered, "I think we'll want to stay here again for tonight. The temperature is going to drop again tonight, down around 20 degrees Fahrenheit. We don't have any jackets, so I'd say that's our best bet." Ash shook his head.

"Oh, we can just tough our way through it!" Ash declared with clear confidence. Iris narrowed her eyes at him, squeezing his hand as hard as she could to remind him. "Ow, what was that..." Looking at Iris's glare, he remembered her utter hate for the cold. Laughing nervously, Ash began again, "I-I-I guess we can stay here at the motel."

Smiling sweetly, Iris commented, "That sounds just fine to me." Cilan brought his hand up to his chin, closing his eyes and chuckling darkly.

"Scare tactics..." Cilan teased. "Anyways, I want to check out that dining area they have for any recipes I haven't encountered. See you guys soon!" Cilan waved at them before making his way to the food court.

Iris shot him a death stare before noticing that it was still a few hours before dusk. "What do we do?" she asked, angling her head to look Ash directly in the eyes. He was just few inches taller than her, after all. Complete with those dazzling amber eyes, of course.

A mischievous grin crossed Ash's lips. "Didn't I promise you that I'd teach you some of those self defense moves I used yesterday?" Pikachu face palmed himself. Ash just couldn't control his ego around Iris, could he?

"Yeah, you did," Iris assured him, a violent shine filling her jasper eyes.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later and 1/4 mile away from town in an open spot in the forest, Ash was teaching Iris how to throw somebody using torque and hips. Using an imaginary opponent, Ash said, "Now, if they were behind me, facing my back, I'd simply throw my hands around their neck and thrust my hips back and under them."

Pikachu and Axew were off to the side in the shade of a nearby tree, mimicking their trainers. In this case, Pikachu was copying Ash and Axew just stood there, watching. The Pokemon giggled relentlessly.

Iris paid close attention to all of Ash's movements, when a thought popped up in her mind. _That looks suggestive..._

"Then you twist your body whilst simultaneously using your latissimus dorsi, posterior deltoid, and core to throw them," Ash continued, throwing air into the ground. Bam! Critical hit! C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-C-COMBO! FINISH HIM! (sorry, couldn't help myself :D ) "Now you try!"

His girlfriend gave him a blank stare. "On air?" she queried, wondering how she could master the move without trying it on somebody.

"Of course not! Throw me!" Ash replied, jabbing a thumb at himself. He noticed an expression of hesitation come upon Iris's features. "Don't worry, I know how to roll out of it!" Iris walked over to him, still a bit unsure of this.

"Okay, I guess..." she mumbled, standing in front of him. Ash leaned over her shoulder.

"Go ahead, throw me!" he cheered. Iris gripped his neck and proceeded with the movement. Problem was, she didn't do it in one swift action, twisting her hips and thrusting them back before pulling Ash around. Sad to say, the sharp part of her pelvis struck Ash's crotch, making his eyes go wide. With a grunt, he collapsed to the ground.

"Ash!" Iris shouted in concern. Pikachu and Axew were over there, Pikachu on the ground faking an injury to the groin, stiff as a plank. They both were laughing hysterically. Ash himself was moaning in pain, hands wrapped around his stomach.

"Ugh...I feel like I'm going to be sick..." Ash mumbled through his groans. Iris kneeled down next to him in the emerald grass.

"A-A-Ash I'm so, so sorry...W-w-where'd I hit you?" Iris asked, cradling Ash's head.

"D-d-don't even ask..." Ash muttered. "I-I'll be okay." Ash attempted to stand, but stumbled, making Iris catch him.

"I-I'm sorry..." Iris started before being interrupted.

"I-It's okay...Let's try a different move, shall we?" Ash said, slightly hunched over. A few minutes passed before Ash was breathing normally again and ready to demonstrate another move. "When you do this, don't actually hit me. This move is based on the last couple moves in the kata known as Heian Sandan, but I street stylized it for application purposes." Centering his center of gravity in a shoulder-width stance, (like I said, this is street stylized, so if any of you guys out there are in a martial art that includes Heian Sandan, then you know that the last couple moves are done in a horse stance) Ash dropped his weight, nimbly shifting to one side with an elbow strike to an imaginary enemy that was clinging to his back and a punch to the face with his opposite hand, then quickly switching sides and performing a mirror image of the movement. "The idea of it all is to set the enemy that's on your back, either placing you in a chokehold or something else, off balance, causing them to go forward straight into your strikes. Try it!"

"But what about what just happened?" Iris asked cautiously.

"No worries! No chance of hurting me if you control your strikes," Ash reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "At least, I hope that's the case."

Taking their places, Ash lightly wrapped his arm around Iris's neck loosely, careful not to hurt her, practically only touching air. Iris performed the movement, thankfully to success without hitting Ash too hard. Just a touch.

"How was that?" she asked.

"Great! Maybe another 10 times should be enough for you to perfect this version of it," Ash praised, getting back into position. "Again!"

This went on for another 9 times, and as they were about to start the last repetition, Cilan walked through the trees from the path. Seeing the spectacle, Cilan found it best to tease them yet again.

"I was looking for you two," he said, making Ash and Iris jump in surprise. "But I guess I shouldn't have been, especially in the middle of a grinding session over here!"

"Come on, Cilan!" Ash shouted out of frustration. "I was teaching her how to do something!" Iris was about to join in on the scolding when Cilan started yet again.

"Teaching her how to _do_ something?" Cilan mischievously asked with a smirk on his face. Sure, teasing wasn't something a formal gentleman would do, but he couldn't help it. With his duties as gym leader and cook relaxed, he had to have his fun. Satisfaction was granted to him when he saw ferocious blushes heat up the young couple's faces. The two were trying to scrap any perverted fantasies that had decided to pop up in their minds at that instant while also trying to cool down their faces by pure willpower.

"Shut up, Cilan!" Iris yelled, her voice cracking a little bit as she forced another dirty thought out of her head. Ash was shifting around uncomfortably, catching Iris's attention. "What's wrong, Ash?" (ha, back to Chapter 2!)

Sheepishly and in a hurried manner, Ash replied, "N-n-nothing!" Cilan wanted to laugh and poke fun at the answer, but he noticed that it was nearing dusk. The sky was painted with blood red streaks that sliced the blue sky, a purple, orange, and yellow blotch surrounding the sun like a bruise.

"Let's get back to the hotel. It's getting late," Cilan said.

"Sounds like a great idea! Come on, Pikachu!" Ash said almost excitedly, hurrying in front of his companions so it was easier to hide. _Puberty sucks..._(Let's just pretend that puberty occurs later in the Pokemon Universe, like around biological 15-16, just to clear that up, okay? Good!)

* * *

Back in his room, Ash was looking at himself in the mirror, only with his gray jeans on. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a pendant that he brought with him during all of his travels. It was an infinite symbol shaped out of sterling silver hanging from a thin chain. It had been, what, years since he had worn this? He thought back to when his mom had given it to him to carry when he first started his adventures as a Pokemon trainer. She had told him it was his father's, and that she was sure that he would've wanted Ash to have it.

Examining it, he saw the letter "S" etched onto the middle of the back. The secret to who his father is was in this one letter. His mom couldn't tell him, saying that his father had left when Ash was only 3, and that she suffered from amnesia when he had turned 6. She didn't remember his father's name, nor his appearance, leaving Ash blind to the truth.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he started to make a few connections in his mind. Loose connections, but links still. When he was 3...When he was 6...

Sighing, he decided that he should wear the necklace. After all, necklaces are for wearing, and it was more likely to get lost if he kept it in his pocket. The only reason that he didn't wear it during his previous journeys is that he didn't feel like he was close to the answer, and that he didn't want the constant itching reminder. Now, however, gears in his mind had started turning...

Unlatching it, he locked it back around his neck, watching as it fell between his pectorals in the mirror. Inspecting himself in the mirror, he found the strange compulsion to start working out again. It wasn't that he wanted to be all bulky, since that wouldn't be practical in a fight, but he thought of how impressed Iris would be if he was a bit more toned.

Staring at his abdominals, he concluded that it was possible to get an 8 pack for him. (See, whether you can get an 8 pack is genetically determined: some people can only get 6 packs because they don't have the genes for an 8 pack, so it isn't like they're any different in function, but 8 packs usually are considered to be more glorious, sooo, yeah) He just imagine the look of awe Iris would give him if she were to gaze upon his non-existent 8 pack. Ash shook his head as he let out some silent chuckles. Amazing how motivating one girl could be.

Walking back into the bedroom, Ash set himself down onto the mahogany colored carpet, laying straight on his back. The soft fibers of the carpet tickled his skin as he got situated.

"Pika?" Pikachu squeaked, peering over the edge of the bed to see what Ash was up to.

Looking up at Pikachu, Ash said, "Just doing some modified sit-ups, that's all." He began the exercise. Simultaneously, he curled his upper body towards his center as he brought his knees up to meet his nose. (looks like a V, except his knees are bent and his upper body is curled up) Relaxing, he let himself gradually fall back down into his start position. Man, he had forgotten how hard those were. It'd been a long time since he had done those.

Repeating the exercise for 5 sets of 25, he let himself loosen up on the floor, sucking air. Though it wasn't a cardio exercise, it took some endurance to get through it. Puffing, he rolled over onto his chest, pushing himself up. Spreading his legs, he swung one arm around to hold onto his hamstring for balance as he prepared for a series of one arm pushups. (I know it sounds like a long ass shot, but trust me, one arm pushups aren't as hard as they sound. All it really takes is a set of arms that can do at least 10 pushups and a superb sense of balance. That, and correct technique. Doing it wrong is just hard. Seriously, try it! After sitting there on your computer, or on your tablet/phone, your limbs might be going numb. I've had that happen to me a few times, and it's freakin' annoying to try to wake them up :P ) The version he was doing were known as Rocky Balboa pushups, where after doing one pushup he pushes himself off and switches to the next hand midair. (That could be pushing it...) Doing 2 sets of 10, he decided that maybe he should give it a breather. He wasn't sweating, but that was to be attributed to the cold that had settled down on the old motel.

Getting up onto his feet, Ash went into the bathroom to take a shower. A nice, warm, relaxing shower...No details of the shower scene shall be provided by this author as he has rated this fanfic to be rated T for Teen, and therefore will refuse to include any graphic images that are suitable for mature audiences. Thus, viewer discretion is not advised as there will be no graphic details. You're welcome.

Drying himself off with the white towel the motel had provided, Ash shook his raven hair, relieving it of any droplets of water that had clung on for dear life. He had paid special attention to that pimple that had formed early that morning, scrubbing it and squeezing it with no signs of relenting. Finally satisfied, he took a look at himself in the mirror. That's when he saw it.

Instead of his own reflection, there stood a dark silhouette as black as night with his features. On it's back were folded, draconic wings, massive in comparison to the silhouette. Ash, startled, blinked, but when he opened his eyes, his reflection was all that he saw. The figure was gone. _Must be a figment of my imagination..._Ash thought to himself.

At that moment, the lights flickered, plunging the room into darkness for just an instant. When they came back on, there on the mirror, written in blood, said the words, "**TRIA AMICUS ANIME**". Before Ash could further examine it, the lights flickered yet again and the words disappeared. Ash felt genuine horror flood his veins, but he reassured himself that it was useless.

"Damn it, Drakonum..." Ash muttered to himself. He was sure that Drakonum was just using his power to mess with his mind, but those words were stuck in his mind. **Tria Amicus Anime** _is Latin for "Three Friends of the Soul"...why would Drakonum tell me that? _It was not enough to make him lose any sleep, however. He was starting to get used to Drakonum's mind games, all of them with that familiar texture in his mind. This one, however, had a different feel to it...

* * *

Changing into his sleeping wear, Ash fell asleep in his bed next to Pikachu. Like as if the act of sleeping was a time portal, he felt like he had immediately woken up. Still drowsy as hell, Ash rubbed his eyes.

Light shined through the windows, signaling morning. Pikachu stood next to his trainer, cheerfully saying his name. "Pikachu!"

"Morning Pikachu," Ash greeted, yawning loudly. A strange feeling settled upon him. Looking down (not down to the ground, but down his body), he saw that the blanket was pitched up like a tent. "What the hell!?" (cue every single guy reading this sympathizing with Ash's find...ugh, puberty...)

* * *

**There it is, guys! Chapter 6, typed and finished! I decided not to leave you with a cliffhanger, but rather, I wanted to leave you guys in wonder. As if Drakonum isn't enough, it seems like there's more to this plot than what meets the eye.**

**Also, in case if you were wondering, I'm going to be adding sub-plots to Iris and Cilan, just to make the entire thing a bit more complex and interesting. I don't have any good ideas for those sub-plots, though, so I kindly ask if any of you guys reading this would send me your ideas via P.M.**

**Well, that's all I've got, sooo...**

**Favorite it, Follow it, Review it! Until next time, stay awesome!**

**FanFicLash signing off.**


	7. Chapter 7: Ripped Apart

**What's up bros, my name is Peeeeewwwwwdiepie! Wait, wrong channel... (Cuts Scene With A Beep) ...**

**What's up guys, it's FanFicLash! I must apologize for taking somewhat longer than I usually do to upload this chapter, but despite that, I think I'll be able to start to incorporate an intermediate story arc/plot into this fanfiction by the end of this month!**

**Anyways, this chapter will include some heart ache, so be warned! I'm going to do some fanfiction torture here! Not sure if that would count as romantic development, though...I'll also include a message from Drakonum himself, so get ready for that! I don't know about keeping the title of this fanfiction "Growing Up" or not, since it's been growing into something much larger than I had originally planned. Thing is, I had at first made this to describe just Ash's progression through puberty, but when I decided to do a story arc including a legendary just for fun, I got a little carried away. It was supposed to be just a fire and dragon type, but that escalated to something else entirely, and now I have a plan that will incorporate multiple fanfictions I'm creating. Needless to say, this was all unexpected. That's what winging it does, I guess...**

**I'm done talking up here, sooo...**

**Disclaimer: You should know this by now.**

**For you guys, this** **is**** gonna either be hell or heaven; here's Chapter 7!**

* * *

**Chapter 7: Ripped Apart**

"Nope, nope, nope, nope!" Ash told himself over and over again, rushing to the bathroom. "Down!" The thing in question was something I can't talk about here in a T rated fanfiction, so use your imagination. Ash shook his limbs violently, attempting to redirect the blood flow anywhere but _there_. This went on for another 5 minutes until alas, completion! "The hell..."

Pikachu had been watching in confusion. He had no idea what was going on whatsoever, as any innocent Pokemon would. Relieved, Ash raked his fingers through his thick, tangled bedhead hair, looking up into the mirror. His reflection reminded him of that dark figure he had seen there last night, the figure with his body.

A shudder rumbled through Ash's body, making his hairs stand on end. That silhouette must've been Drakonum, but it didn't feel like the Quantum-type legendary...

Yanking the mirror's side, Ash opened up the compartment that it held behind it, snatching the deodorant and applying it with haste. If the sun's position was right, then he was up a good hour behind schedule. Turning on the hot water in the sink, he shivered when he felt chilly water run through his fingers. Switching it back off, he glanced at the alarm clock provided next to his bedside in the next room.

It was blank, black. It was off. _There must be a power outage right now..._

A knock on his door made him jump in surprise. "Ash?" a sweet voice called out. He felt his heart skip a beat as he acknowledged his girlfriend.

"Come on in, Iris!" he shouted out of the bathroom. The white tiles, coupled with the small size of the bathroom, made his voice resonate slightly. Striding out into the bedroom, still in his navy blue boxers, he heard Iris click the door shut behind her. She was in her sleep wear, too. He noticed that her bottom lip wobbled slightly. "Iris?" Ash carefully said, taking step towards her.

Without warning, Iris threw her arms around Ash's waist, burying her face in his chest. He had no choice but to hold her, one hand on her back and the other cradling her head. The scent of lavender flowers wafted off of her rich hair. He noticed Axew wasn't in her hair.

"What's wrong, Iris?" Ash whispered. Iris wasn't one to be so dependent. Something was up. Waving a hand signal, Ash told Pikachu to exit the room for the time being.

Muffled by his body, Iris replied, "I-I-I'm scared..." Ash felt her breaths tickle his tan skin.

"Of what?" Now her body started shaking, making him hold her even closer. The warmth from her skin made it's way to his core.

"S-S-S-Somebody's following us..." she mumbled in a sub-audible voice. Pupils dilating in sudden heightened interest, Ash continued.

"Who?" Silence filled the empty space, only accompanied by the rays of sunlight that beamed through the window and tensile concern.

"...You..." At this answer, Ash's eyes widened in bafflement. Him? How could he follow himself? Unless if it was someone who looked like him...

His blood ran cold, leaving him pale. The silhouette...the hair, the body...

He pressed on. "What do you mean?" His voice was soft, soothing to Iris's ears.

"I-I had a dream..." she began. Silence was again prevalent.

"Yes?"

"Y-Y-You were there...10 of you...a-and there was _him_...h-he looked like y-you, except h-he was just a shadow..." Iris disclosed, stuttering profusely. Another quiver was felt. The information he had just been given was hard to process...If the **Essentia** was now in Iris, which he realized now was his most grievous fault, then would that mean that she would be subject to the same happenings he was? When she was dizzy yesterday...that was the Entanglement, wasn't it? Guilt flooded Ash's consciousness as the full force of what he had done hit him. She was going to go through the exact same thing he was...But then her dreams would have meanings, like his! Ten of him, and one more that looked like his silhouette. All together that was 11...11...

"I-It's going to be okay, Iris, it's going to be okay..." Ash cooed into her ear. It was her first dream with the **Essentia**, so it was understandable. What other horrors were shown to her, he didn't know, but he did know that all he could do was comfort. He silently cursed himself for letting himself kiss her back that first time. If he hadn't, she'd be okay...but he would've broken her heart...

Sobs were leaking out of her. All sense of self left Ash as he felt her melt into his form.

"Hey...Iris..." he whispered gingerly. She looked up at him as he used two fingers to lift her chin. "It's okay..." Somewhere, in a higher dimension, the **Essentia **that rested in them reached across their bodies, intertwining. They locked their eyes, intently piercing deep into their other's soul. They lost it. Both of their eyes glowed a violent red, a need to join together crushing all other emotions into oblivion. Aggressively, they kissed each other, their breaths hot against each others' lips.

The texture, the taste, the feel of each other's lips was sending them over edge, causing them to repeatedly kiss multiple times. They were all moist kisses, each of them sending electrical charges surging through their nerves. Iris's hands rested on Ash's chest as his held her by her lissome waist, pulling her as close as humanly possible.

It wasn't enough, though. Iris, eyes still glowing, gradually pressed Ash up against his bed, making him lie down as they continued their assault on their significant other's lips. Their compulsive make-out session progressed into French kissing, a fierce battle of tongues ensuing in their mouths. Even though their eyes were now closed, a maroon light could still be seen emitting from under their eyelids. It was now that Ash started coming to his senses.

Feeling Iris's slithering tongue exploring his mouth, his eyes opened abruptly. They were back to the usual amber color that he was born with. His arms were firmly wrapped around Iris's form, whilst the French kiss went on. Feeling Iris's breasts pressed against his naked chest, he blushed ferociously. Iris finally released the kiss, but only to get a breath of air.

"Iris, MFTHTH!" Ash started, but was vigorously interrupted as Iris pierced his lips with her tongue again. Her hands started running down his cut body. Ash was starting to internally freak out when he noticed that her eyes were glowing under their eyelids. If he was on edge before, she just shoved him off now.

He felt her hands make their way lower and lower and lower...Pushing her off of him, Ash tried to get her back into her senses. "Iris! Iris!" He rolled over, setting her on her back. Standing up and away from the bed, he looked down at her. She opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as her irises were flushed clean of the red aura and returned back to their chocolate tint.

"A-A-Ash...W-w-what happened?" Iris asked with an unnerved tone. One of her hands went up to her alluring lips, touching the moisture that was still present. To be honest, Ash had only but the slimmest of ideas. Never had he ever transferred the **Essentia.** He didn't even know it was possible until yesterday. If the **Essentia** was anything that followed the Quantum Theory, then it must've had an attraction to itself...When it split, the two halves must've been trying to reach each other again. Apparently, the only way to do that...Ash shuddered as he thought of what would've happened if he had still been under it's influence. It would've practically been rape, considering it was without either Ash or Iris's consent. Damn, those things he looked up at the library sure as hell taught him a lot.

Sinking into the bed right next to Iris, hands in his lap, Ash began. "You remember what happened yesterday, before we went into Draco Caves? When you...kissed me?" Iris nodded in recognition of the memory. "Y-You felt it, too, didn't you?"

Iris's mind flashed back to the moment. When she and Ash shared their first consensual kiss, she was hit with a wave of nausea. Inside her, there was something stirring about, like as if it were making itself home. "Y-Yeah..." she nervously answered.

Another question was to be answered. "When...when I...died, did you feel something? Not emotional, but..." Ash inquired. This was the sealing deal. If she answered the way he thought she would, then it was likely that she definitely held part of the **Essentia.**

"It...It was cold..." Iris breathed. There it was. Confirmation. Now he had to explain it to her without her flipping out. Then again, she already dealt with Drakonum, his own death, and then some, so no worries. Hopefully.

A heavy sigh escaped Ash as he decided to clarify things. "That was the **Essentia**..." Iris's eyes squinted in confusion as she viewed her boyfriend.

"W-w-what?"

"The **Essentia**...Latin for Essence. It's an embodiment of the Quantum Entanglement," Ash cautiously stated. Things started clicking in Iris's head

"S-s-so you mean...yesterday..." Iris said in broken words. She was connected to Drakonum, now? But, but...

Digging his face into the palm of his hands, Ash whispered, "I'm sorry...I'm so, so, so sorry...I didn't mean for anything to happen...I-I didn't know..." He expected Iris to snap and get furious with him for putting her into danger, but the opposite happened. She cuddled up next to his arm, resting her cheek on his warm shoulder.

"I-It's okay...You didn't know, and if anything happens to you, it's only right for me to help," Iris consoled. Pulling one of Ash's hands away from his face, Iris took a hold of it. A smile glowed on her features, shining a bright beacon in Ash's mind.

"T-thanks..." Still, Ash was left in constant worry for Iris. (that wasn't the heart wrenching part...you'll know it when it comes up) A moment of quiet passed before Iris spoke.

"What were we doing just then?" Iris asked innocently. She quickly realized that Ash's cheeks were burning a bright pink.

"Um...uh, j-just a kiss, that's all..." Ash answered in discomfort, shifting around in his position. Iris arched an eyebrow.

"Really? That's it? Then why were we on the bed?" Iris lightly teased. The subject was disconcerting, no doubt, but she couldn't help but poke some fun at Ash.

"..." Ash didn't answer. He couldn't think up a legitimate reason on the spot. Giggling, Iris used a hand to turn Ash's head towards her. Lengthening her neck, she gave him a peck on the lips.

Looking behind her at the window, she asked, "What are we doing today?"

"I guess we're leaving for Nimbasa City," Ash answered, scratching his zigzagged cheek. "We're off schedule, plus I don't think there's anything to do here."

"W-what about Drakonum?"

A smile twisted the corner of Ash's lips. "I had no idea what I was going to do when I met him. I can't go in unprepared."

"Says the kid that went up against all three Striaton gym leaders without knowing a thing about them," Iris playfully jabbed, a smirk prevalent on her face. "Love you."

Ash brought his face down until his forehead touched Iris's. A twinkle flashed in his amber eyes. "Love you, too."

* * *

After getting dressed in their usual attire, Ash and Iris met Cilan outside of the rickety old motel. The sun taunted them, reminding them that they had already lost a few precious hours due to Cavern Town's blackout. People, owners and travelers alike, were lining the dirt street, gossiping about what had happened.

Exiting the rotting wooden door, Ash ran up to Cilan, Iris following close behind.

"Hey!" Ash greeted the Striaton City gym leader, who was spectating the situation. "What's going on?"

"Good morning, Ash. It seems like somebody or something, according to rumors that are spreading around like how a spice diffuses in water, has taken down the generator for this town. Thing is, it's out in the forest and nobody here understands the circuitry at all," Cilan explained, eyes squinting in deep thought.

"Modern technology sucks..." Iris muttered. She wasn't exactly into the technological hype most other teens were.

Cilan dismissed the comment. "I tried to get the residents to tell me where the generator is, but they said that they feared something was still out there. It freaked them out so much that they didn't want to disclose any other information about it. However, they told me that I should find the mystic that lives here," he continued.

"Mystic?" Ash questioned.

"The only thing I know about this mystic is that she lives in seclusion, just out in the forest. That's it," Cilan clarified.

"Least we could do is help," Iris pointed out. Ash rolled his shoulders and neck, stretching the muscles.

"Seems like today will be spent on searching for that generator, then!" Ash declared with a spark of determination in his eyes. Iris sweat dropped.

"Shouldn't we find the mystic, first?" Iris suggested.

Ash shook his head, his raven hair shifting under his cap. "Nah, we would only need her to find the generator, but Pikachu here is a great electric sniffer, aren't you?" Ash scratched Pikachu's chin, making the Pokemon purr.

"Pika!" the lighting rodent Pokemon exclaimed in agreement.

"He'll be able to find that generator!" Ash seemed a little bit overconfident, bringing a black-and-red gloved hand into the air.

Iris continued with her questions. "What about the 'something' that was supposedly out there? What are we going to do about that?" The ego Ash once held was dashed down a few notches. He knew what she was thinking.

He wasn't about to show how disheartened he internally. "Ah, come on, Iris! It's probably just a Pokemon. I'll battle it!" His face was forcibly twisted into a smile. If anyone had paid close attention, they would've noticed that Ash was smiling with only the lower portion of his face. A fake smile. Truthfully, inside he was anxious. Now that he's actually thinking things through, what would he do when he meets Drakonum? Would battling the Quantum legendary really break the link between them? It was more than likely that he was just going to get crushed.

A visible shiver was evoked from Cilan. The ambiance created by whatever had bellowed the last couple days frightened him. It was completely irrational, but it was like he was forced to feel fear. Nevertheless, his calmer, more inspective side had to agree with Ash. "Ash is right, Iris. It's most likely to be a Pokemon. No big deal."

She internally disagreed. Dread creeped up into the corner of her mind as she thought of what would happen to Ash. In her dream, no, _nightmare_, all of 10 of the normal Ash's were dead, blood dripping from the edges of their lips, eyes wide open. The only one standing was a dark silhouette of her boyfriend, but with piercing crimson eyes and folded, draconic wings. The very thought of it all made her cringe. A sudden wind cut through town, kicking up some loose, gritty dust as Iris tried to remember why the number 11 was Arceus damn important. It nagged her to no end...

"Might as well," Iris sighed, knowing that Ash's senseless logic would triumph in the end. Without dawdling, Iris frogged Ash right in his bicep, digging into the sensitive nerve bundle located there.

"Ow! What was that for!?" Ash hissed out in surprise, rubbing his arm and leaning slightly away from Iris. She pouted, firmly planting her hands on her hips.

"You should never argue with your girlfriend," Iris puffed, eyes tightly shut as she raised her chin in a dominating position.

"But I wasn't arguing," Ash muttered, hunching over slightly as he hugged his arm. His girlfriend over heard him.

She frogged him again. After his yelp of pain, Iris scolded, "That was arguing." Ash looked up at her with a flabbergasted expression on his face, satisfying her. "Not that I don't like a challenge." Walking towards the end of the town, Iris secretly smirked.

Ash just continued staring at her back, acting like as if he was hit with a Confuse Ray. Shaking his head, and thus his messy hair, Ash mumbled, "Women..."

"Pika..."

* * *

An hour passed as the trio of traveling companions trailed Pikachu, who's red circular cheek pouches had sparks of electricity shooting out a short distance from them, sensing electrical fields. The fall sun beat down on the canopy that encompassed their sight whenever they looked up. Rangy trees circumvented them, accompanied by ferns, various grasses, and a few vivid flowers. It was a shady area, with only stabs of light perforating into their field of view. Everything, despite the lack of direct sunlight, was bright in what light made it through.

In spite of seemingly towering vegetation compared to the electric mouse Pokemon, Pikachu seemed to be unconditionally sure that he was headed in the right direction. Swiping at anything that got in his way, he led Ash, Iris, and Cilan through the thick forest. Subsequently following the original onslaught of moisture that began to shine the group's skin, droplets of sweat began to form at their brows. It probably wasn't a good idea for Ash to wear a jacket, Iris to wear a long sleeve cotton shirt, and Cilan to wear a formal suit (without the blazer). Ash was the first to snap.

"Ugh, Unova is so damn bipolar! Daytime is hot as hell and nighttime is fucking cold as hell!" Ash burst out, glaring at the heavens. Well, the leafy roof. Everybody froze in their spots. Even Pikachu temporarily gave up the search to gawk at Ash.

Iris cocked her head at an angle as she looked at Ash's eyes. Perfectly normal, no signs of reddening or puffiness. She asked, "A-Ash, are you okay?" He blinked (throws the laptop out of the damn window) and gave her a questioning expression.

"Yeah, I guess...It's just _really_ hot out here..." Ash innocently explained with a quiet voice. Then he realized what he said. Scratching the back of his head, running his fingers through his incredibly thick hair to his scalp, he started to wonder why he cussed. The only explanation he could find was probably the truest one. "Uh...hormones?" Iris and Cilan fell over anime style. Pikachu's cheeks sparked with a hint of annoyance, eyes narrowing with a "Pika..."

Time went by until, alas! There, in a small opening in the jungle-like region, amid a bald spot in the thick vegetation, was a rusty, chipped yellow generator that was the size of a typical air conditioning unit. Wires leading away from it headed under the rich dirt ground, hiding themselves from plain view. Next to the generator were multiple compact, thick black wires penetrated the earth of Lashlantia, originating from a wooden electrical pole that stood a good 20 feet away, complete with the dull gray transformers and all. Miniature lightning bolts shot intensely from Pikachu's crimson cheek pouches, quickly curving towards the attractive earth.

"There it is," Cilan pointed out aloud, pointing a stiff finger at the generator, his dress shirt creating a sudden, crisp sound at the precipitous snap of an arm. A slightly peeved bearing slinked across Iris's countenance.

Hands situated firmly on her hips with a milieu of annoyance, Iris was quick to stab, "Well, no duh! Honestly, I thought it was just a random box!" If there was one thing that got on Iris's nerves, it was an overly exaggerated, intentionally or not, notation of the obvious. Connoisseur Obvious over here did just that. Ash arched an eyebrow, tentatively inclining himself away from Iris. After what he had read on the computer in the local, rackety library, he believed that it'd be best to be circumspective of Iris's little outburst. Just in case. Hey, what can I, the narrator, say? Women are unpredictable.

"I don't think this is the time for a fight, guys," Ash said, cognizant of what treachery he could be putting himself in. In an almost freakish manner, Iris slowly turned her head towards Ash.

"Ash..." Iris began, but never finished. After many a travel, Pikachu had picked up when to Thunderbolt his oh so faithful, yet bickering, companions. Now was one of those times.

With a practiced ease, Pikachu blasted everybody, luminous bolts of electricity running through the humans, and sadly, a disgruntled once-a-sleep Axew, into shocking positions. Pun intended. Everybody fell to the ground, covered with black soot...

*Cue Time Lapse*

Another half hour passed as Cilan took apart the generator using various specialized tools he pulled out of Arceus knows where, boring Ash nearly to death. He couldn't die, so I guess that could be true.

"Why isn't there a path here, anyways?" asked Ash, sitting himself down on the ground with his legs crossed. Casually, he tossed out Oshawott, Tranquil, Palpitoad, Tepig, and Snivy. He had already internally decided that it'd be a good time to let his Pokemon out to walk around and talk to each other after being cooped up in their Pokeballs for a few days. Yeah, each Pokeball had an internal environment customized specifically for each Pokemon that inhabited them, giving the Pokemon plenty of room as miniatures to move about in an energy-like form, but hey, it's nice to be a physical entity, too. At least, Ash only surmised that.

Iris shrugged her shoulders, carrying a woven basket of vivacious blue Oran berries (you guys know how the Pokemon Universe works, with stuff being pulled out of absolutely nowhere just for the plot's sake) and handing one to her only Dragon-type Pokemon, Axew, whom was squirming around in her exquisite, amaranthine purple hair, ivory tusks jutting out of his mouth. Taking Ash's silent cue, Iris revealed a red-and-white Pokeball from under her pink skirt, letting a fluid blue-white light emit from it, and thus sending out Emolga, the electric-flying dual type sky squirrel Pokemon. As soon as Emolga was released back into her physical manifestation, she glared at Ash's grass snake Pokemon, Snivy. Typically maintaining a very smooth and cool attitude, Snivy intended to keep it that way, snapping her head away from Emolga's direction and shutting her eyes. No sense of camaraderie was detected between the two, who held a completely unreasonable, irrational grudge.

(I would like to take this moment to calmly remind you guys that this setting is more of a jungle-like theme, unlike the common trees and region you've seen in the anime, so the trees may have surface roots, shade is heavy, there's a thick canopy, vines hung from branches everywhere, the ground was fairly moist, and the like; I know that I said that it got cold, so it'd sound unbelievable that there's a jungle in a cold area, but hey, what did ya expect? This is Lashlantia, after all!)

"Don't know. Guess that nobody really comes out here. Just look at how that generator looks," Iris answered, sitting down with her legs bent out in front of her, scooting next to Ash's side, leaving behind a small trail, whilst handing out berries to the Pokemon. They went off with their food to socialize, Palpitoad, being fairly new, chatting up with Tranquil, Pikachu and Axew playing tag, Tepig and Oshawott goofing around, and Emolga and Snivy taking up a tensile staring contest. "You want any, Cilan?"

The Pokemon connoisseur in question was busy with a mobile soldering tool he was using to meld a super capacitor into the circuitry, plastic goggles covering his eyes as he muttered something about the operational amplifier having something wrong with it. His Pansage and Dwebble were out of their Pokeballs, helping him with tools and holding up scrap parts to replace old ones. "I'm good, Iris. Thank you, though," Cilan replied over the light, high-pitched hum of electricity running through wires.

Another question touched Ash. "Any signs of Pokemon?"

Cilan glanced back at Ash, shaking his head. "No. At the very least, not yet, anyways." It was then they heard a rustling in the tall ferns to their left. There, in the shadow of the trees, in the midst of the tall vegetation, was a shaking motion in the plants, like as if someone was making their way through. Everybody in the group froze, silently preparing themselves for a battle if need be. They weren't going to take any chances, now.

To both their relief and discombobulating disconcertment, an elder woman stepped into the natural opening of the jungle, carrying a gnarly, rotten wood staff with her. Covered in a tan robe and shawl with mysterious, black markings painted onto them, she slowly hobbled her way over towards Ash. A slight limp hindered her, her back hunching and long, thin, ghostly hair bouncing on her small frame. The Pokemon went stiff, taking their respective stances in case this old woman was armed and dangerous. Pikachu especially knew about how treacherous the normal civilian can be. He had dealt with Team Rocket and their multitudinous disguises before.

The strange woman stopped in her tracks a good 3 yards away from Ash, positioning herself square to him. Since she was closer, Ash could better see her. Her body appeared to be very frail, skeleton practically visible under her unevenly toned skin. The most curious thing about her was her eyes. Pearl white eyes. The eyes of the blind.

With her free hand, the woman pointed towards Ash, eyes gazing blankly into the distance behind him. "You...you should know how dangerous it is to be out here..." she said with a hoarse, airy voice, revealing her toothless gum line. Ash's amber eyes widened as he started to rise from the ground, simultaneously dusting his gray jeans off.

"What do you mean by that?" Ash cautiously asked, waving his Pokemon over to him. Iris quietly called over her Pokemon, as well, eyes fixated upon the old woman. Emolga broke her stare with Snivy reluctantly, making a dash for her trainer, making Snivy smirk with satisfaction. The woman's hand dropped to her side.

A crooked smile appeared on the mysterious woman's face. "I never give direct answers, Satoshi," she vaguely replied. Her answer shocked Ash beyond disbelief. How the hell (or Giratina...) did she know his middle name of all things? A quick, rushed conclusion came to mind, but Cilan beat him to the verbalization.

"Are you the mystic?" he questioned, pulling off the oversized plastic goggle on his eyes and leaving them on the top of his head, pressing down his pistachio green hair in the process.

The woman's smile grew wider, eyes still planted behind Ash. "The answer to that is clear, young one," the mystic said, still avoiding completely giving the answer. "Now, now, you're father would've been proud of you if he were here, wouldn't he have been, Satoshi?" A quiet shock went out to everybody there. Never had Ash ever before spoke of his father. Not even once had he mentioned the figure. They all noticed, however, that Ash's hands had started to fidget and his left eye was twitching slightly.

Ash's mental attention was turned to the Infinity pendant on the chain around his neck that was hidden by the collar of his blue and white jacket, face still appearing to be focused upon the mystic before him. The metal piece felt oddly cold against his warm chest.

Knowing that the mystic probably had the ability to psychically obtain information (mainly derived from previous encounters he has had), a question popped up in Ash's mind.

"Where is he?" he queried, fingers unwillingly curling up into tight fists, the gloves on them tightening against his skin. Silence filled the mindsets of his group, tensile curiosity filling the air, creating an unsettling ambiance as they awaited the potential answer from the mystic. Her smile disappeared.

"It wouldn't be true if I were to say that I did know where you're father is, but I can only say that he is close by. He is also far away. Not only is he here, but also not here, both everywhere and nowhere. Ask not what I mean, for even I know not what the hidden meaning is behind the words that escape these lips. I am but simply a messenger, Satoshi," she said cryptically, leaving everybody baffled.

A hypnotic trance seemed to take a hold of the company, Pokemon and humans entering deep thought and comprehension. Iris was the first to snap out of it.

"Why did you come?" Iris asked, standing up and swiping off dirt that clung to her ivory tights. The question was simple, yet had been easily forgotten.

"I heard some commotion over here, and as I'm usually the only one out in this jungle, I had decided that I'd go see what it was. I was quite surprised when I found you, Satoshi. Danger follows you closely, so be warned. You may not be the only to fall victim to it," the mystic said. With that she began to hobble back to the jungle.

"Wait a minute!" Ash shouted out, a hint of desperation quivering his voice. His head was flooded with questions he wanted to ask her. As she disappeared into the vegetation, he sprinted after her. Using his hands to bat aside tall ferns and other plants, he was left in confusion when he found that she had completely vanished without a trace. "She's gone..."

* * *

The sun was half swallowed up by the horizon (this has probably been the quickest day I've written for this fanfiction, yet :P ) by the time Cilan had fixed the generator, which he said was due to a freak lightning strike (Dues Ex-Machina explanation), and they were back on the road to Nimbasa City. A lot more had gone down in Cave Town than they had previously expected, and they still didn't understand half of it.

In a little over an hour, the coterie decided it'd be best to set up camp then, under the light of a thousand sparkling stars that were embedded into the blackness of the night sky. As usual, they camped in a nearby opening in the forest close to the route, Cilan sleeping around a good 20 yards away from Ash and Iris to give them their privacy.

For once, Iris didn't sleep in the tree. Rather, she was much more inclined to sleeping right next to Ash in a second sleeping bag. With both of them partially opened towards the other, they pushed them together to make somewhat super sleeping bag, if you will. Why? Well, it was cold tonight, of course. That's the only reason...I can't fool you guys, the two just wanted to sleep together, that's all. It was a fairly warm night, with the temperature around the 70s. (Fahrenheit...if it was Celsius, then they'd all be dead)

After settling down, Pikachu and Axew in separate sleeping bags 10 feet away (yes, they had their own custom sleeping bags because I wanted them to), and a bit of nice cuddling, everybody finally fell into a deep sleep. Even Axew. It was the first time the dragon-type Pokemon was sleeping alone without Iris holding him, but he was perfectly fine with that. Sort of. He just kept reassuring himself that he was growing up (roll credits...) and had to act a bit more mature.

**Warning, the upcoming part may include scenes that are very gory and gruesome. Details will be explicitly stated with no hesitation or restraint. Reader discretion is advised after the 5 asterisks appear (*****) This will pop up before and after the scene. If for some strange reason, you have a really strong visual imagination and have a tendency to flinch, you might not want to read it. If you don't, however, have fun! **

Ash's amber eyes opened ever so slowly, thick eyelashes still taking up the majority of his vision as his pupils adjusted to the contrast between the darkness of the night and the radiant, pearly light of the moon that hung in the middle of the pitch black sky. A light airy sound repeated itself in a continuum next to his lying body, leading him to turn his head towards the source. In the process, he felt his messy, shaggy raven hair brush up against the soft layering of the navy blue sleeping bed he was upon.

To his left, there halfway on a rose sleeping bed and halfway on his very own, was the love of his life. Her luscious, cascading palatinate purple hair tickled the palm of his left hand which was attached to the arm he had wrapped around her sleeping form. Her head rested on the left side of his chest, on the cloth of his ebony tank top. Under the clothing was his Infinity pendant, freezing cold against the touch of his tanned skin. A hint of a lavender and pine needle scent wafted off of her hair and into his pleased nose, calming him with every inhalation he took.

Iris was dressed in her typical sleeping attire, with the crisp, white t-shirt and pink shorts making her look that much cuter in Ash's narrowed eyes. Turning his attention back to why he had woken up in the first place in the middle of the night, Ash used his right hand to scratch the bridge of his itching nose, blinking (...not even going to comment...). It more than likely that it was for a critical reason. He never woke up without a good Arceus damn reason. A noise isn't enough.

Daintily lifting Iris's lithe body up just enough to slip his arm free and setting her back down onto a lush pillow, Ash creeped out of the sleeping bag to head into the forest for a midnight walk to gather his thoughts. It'd been quite awhile since he had such a walk, maybe a good solid year. The twigs snapping under his bare feet, the feel of the grainy dirt on his soles, the cool, thin air that signaled the lack of sunlight. A little bit nostalgic, like remembering a memory after a bout with amnesia.

Around a 1/4 mile away from camp, he started pacing under the trees, relishing in the night wind's soft caress against his cheeks. It was hard to pick out what exactly had woken him up, only locked doors revealing themselves in his cavernous, maze-like mind.

Leaning up against the rough, hard bark of the nearest tree, he shoved his hands into his gray pajama pants' pockets, bowing his head and shutting his eyes in deep thought...

A sudden gust of unusually cold wind ripped through the trees, blowing many a emerald leaf into the nightfall's air and sending them to ground. Ash shivered at the strange wind when he heard the sound.

_Flick_

There it was! The sound that had kept itself in the corner of his mind this entire time, the sound that was all too familiar! The sound of his hair being flicked to the side by his very own fingers. Alone, by itself, it might've been thought that he had heard it only in mind, a figment of his imagination, fake stimulus. However, it was accompanied by his own voice...except it was rough, like the scales of a dragon, with a slightly higher pitch (liken it to Hollow Ichigo, if you wish)

_"Hello, fellow _**Amicus Animae**..._"_ it said. Ash's eyes flew wide open, eyes vibrating in their very sockets. That wasn't in his head. That voice...it was behind him. A feeling of dread sunk Ash's heart to his stomach, raising the hairs on his neck, and sending chills reverberating throughout his entire being. Reluctantly, he gradually lifted himself out of his leaning position...and turned on his heels to see who it was.

Standing there, in the light of the holy moon, between two trees, was an entity darker than the night itself. What light hit it seemed to bend and be absorbed by the thing, giving it the likeness of a black hole. The only way to see it's silhouette was to observe where light was missing, where it was twisted...

The area where the light disappeared into nothingness was shaped to a similar form of Ash, with the toned body and the flowing, messy hair. The main difference was the large, folded draconic wings that were apparently a part of the being's back. The thing had no shadow. It was what he had seen in his dream...what he had seen in the mirror...what he had heard Iris speak of...

Taking a heavy, restricted breath, Ash answered, "Drakonum..." The name rung in the atmosphere, filling his own ears, canceling out all other sounds. Here he was, at the hour of midnight, alone in the forest, facing down the most dangerous foe he had ever seen...The foe that had haunted him since he was 3.

A raspy chuckle escaped the figure, shaking it's shoulders up and down. The sound burned Ash's ears, like as if he had hot coals pressed against his eardrums. Still, he refused to show any signs of weakness. He had no Pokemon with him. No protection. Nothing.

_"I'd be careful who you give that name, _**Amicus Animae**_...Not everyone is just Drakonum..." _the figure said, shocking Ash thoroughly. The blood drained from Ash's face, leaving him pale in the darkness.

Ash had to comprehend this. _H-h-h-he's n-not...he's not...Drakonum? I-I-Impossible! __But wait...he's an _**Amicus Animae**_...so he has to_ _be! _Whilst he was thinking, trying to understand the entity's response, the silhouette itself held out a hand, up turned and opened. In the palm of his hand was a silver orb, glistening in the light.

_"I believe you're talking about him..." _the entity continued. Ash's eyes were fixated upon the sphere, fear enveloping him. He was twitching everywhere, sweat starting to drip off of his brow. This was not possible! Who is this!?

"W-w-who a-are you?" Ash managed to let out, his voice cracking from pure terror. Never had he ever been as strung out as he was now. This thing was emitting an aura that made him feel fear...Drakonum himself couldn't do that...Who is he? Who?

It was impossible to tell whether or not the silhouette was smiling or not, but another chilling chuckle answered the question well.

_"It can be said that I am you...but not exactly you. It can also be said that I'm half of you...but also not exactly half of you. That's the problem with explanations...What is the closest thing you have to the truth? Something you humans of this world call 'String Theory'? Still very weak and underdeveloped..." _It seemed like the figure was taunting him, mocking him into unwilling submission. What really pressed a button was that the entity had said that was Ash...but not exactly Ash. What does that mean...

He didn't get any time to think it through as the entity continued, _"I can be considered an _**Amicus Animae**_, however. Though, Drakonum here,"_ The entity bounced the silver ball of essence in its hand. _"...is a much closer match to you...Ever fuse with another, before?"_ The odd question the entity asked was barely heard before it launched itself towards Ash, massive wings spreading to gain more speed. It was but a blur, and before Ash could understand what was going on, the entity slammed the silver orb into his chest.

Time slowed down to the degree in which everything seemed to have been put on pause. The only thing that seemed to be going real time was that orb. The sphere liquefied, spreading into a splatter across Ash's clothed chest. The liquid sunk quickly into Ash's body, binding with the **Essentia** that he held inside, making it feel like as if he were in a cold explosion, his body writhing in pain both internally and externally. Time returned back to its normal pace.

Ash was thrown violently back into a tree, cracking wood and creating a deep indent into the trunk. His body was thrown into seizure like motions, arms and legs flailing about as the pain spread throughout his being, burning and freezing all of him at the same time. Irises glowing a crimson red, he felt his skin melt and reform over and over again, blood attempting to escape from broken blood vessels, bones trying to jut out of his body and pierce through living flesh. Despite it all, he retained his form, staying a single, Ash-looking human. Still, he writhed.

The entity just stood there and watched, arms crossed as he observed the sight. As Ash tossed about in pain, the entity figured it was time to go. It muttered to itself, _"One corrupted...Nine more to go...Which one next? The stealer of souls? The rogue criminal? Or how about the one that was in a coma?" _So many choices for a singularity...Too bad the quantum world didn't encompass everything.

In an instant, the entity fell away into shreds that went into nothingness. It was gone. For now, at least.

Calm finally took over Ash's body, pain disappearing as his body returned to normal. Lying on the grass-laden ground, Ash sighed with relief and confusion. In his core he felt a gigantic essence swimming through his being, making itself at home. About to scratch his forehead, he paused when he saw a black dot in the middle of his palm. Squinting, he saw that it was spreading like ink, making it way around and wrapping its webs around his hands. Panic flooded him.

A draconic voice resonated in his mind, different from the entity's, and much more familiar.

_Let me out...let me out, _**Amicus Animae**_..._the voice said. Realization overtook Ash's thoughts. It was Drakonum! It was truly him! _Let me out of here...let me get back at that fiend..._

The blackness of the once small mark spread over half of his body, transforming what parts it had taken over...

* * *

She pulled the pillow ever closer, believing, in her subconscious state, that it was Ash. Her body, however, noticed that the thing she was hugging was much too soft to be her boyfriend. He would've been solid, muscles rippling, and all...

A smile crossed her lips as she thought of how she was fangirling over him, even though he was hers already. It was that one simple motion that jerked her awake.

Eyelids pulled apart, revealing her stunning jasper eyes to the night world. Sitting up, she found that Ash was gone, nowhere to be seen. Figuring that Ash was just taking a midnight walk, she decided that she should go find him in this late hour.

"Ash..." Iris whispered, shaking her head in disappointment. She _really_ wanted a human teddy bear right now. Picking herself up off of her tempting sleeping bag, she went off into the forest after some tracks that Ash was sure to leave with his bare feet...

* * *

"Ash? Ash?" Iris called out, finally a good distance from Cilan and the rest of the Pokemon to start verbally searching for her boyfriend. Old leaves crunched under her bare feet as she walked.

Then she heard a low growl rumble behind her. All of her muscles tensed, a wave of sudden fear and panic washing over her. She was further surprised when she heard the source talk.

"I-I-Iris...r-r-r-run!" the hoarse, scratchy voice said (again, like Hollow Ichigo from Bleach). It was familiar...it sounded so much like...

"Ash!" Iris yelled in surprise as she turned around, expecting to see just her boyfriend standing there. That was to no avail.

Hunched over, a solid 10 feet away, with one normal hand resting on a tree, kneeling there, was Ash. Or at least, half of him. Iris felt her blood run cold. Black veins ran across half of his visible body, (note that he's not directly cut in half, but the blackness sort of stretches to his other side), leaving his skin a dark color, like as if it were the physical manifestation of nothingness.

That wasn't all. A long, sharp bone jutted out of his elbow, which was mimicked by his knee, jabbing a hole into his pajamas. Both were as black as the night itself, just like the claws that were developing on his possessed hand and foot. A single, curved minotaur-like horn grew out of Ash's head, crimson blood dripping off of it and splashing onto the soft ground. Half of his teeth were sharpened to a point, but that part of his face Iris wasn't staring at. It was his one, crimson eye, glowing brightly in the night.

Blood flowed from the transformed half, gathering into a puddle below Ash, seeping tranquilly into the greedy soil. His shoulders were pumping up and down, ragged breaths escaping his half-way crusted lips, all teeth clearly visible. His clawed hand grasped his head like as if he had a fierce battle occurring inside his inner eye. Ironically, he was.

_Let me out!_ roared Drakonum, viciously trying to gather more control of Ash's body. His head was pounding hard, blood rushing through his veins and stretching his arteries.

_No! Stay back! Go back to the essence you once were!_ Ash mentally shouted back, clenching his teeth in tension and desperation.

**Amicus Animae**_, don't try me! _As the internal war was blowing up inside Ash's consciousness, his body's focus went away, all fueling the battle between the two. Now, with all of their rational, emotional, and thoughtful energy going straight into the fight, Ash's body was now left with only Drakonum and Ash's last instinct. The animalistic instinct to kill. They paid it no attention as Ash's body was equally ruled by both of their primitive instincts, each of which fitting each other like puzzle pieces.

**Here it is. Graphic violence is a type of stylization I just love to do, so prepare yourselves.**

**(*****)**

Ash's hands dropped to his sides as he stood up straight, head bowed. His flowing, raven hair was longer and more ragged on the possessed side of his body. Veins popped under his skin, giving his entire being a web-like surfacing, a sickly green on his human side and a magma red on his Drakonum side. The one horn he adorned had many a crack-like structures running through it like the ground during a heavy drought. Those cracks began to emit an eerie crimson light. (To be honest, black and red are my favorite colors due to their typical badass nature :P )

A cringe worthy snapping and ripping rang through the forest as Ash's back pulsed ferociously, trying to push something out from under the flexible skin. There, under the possessed side of his back, his tan skin started to pull apart, blood vessels ripping apart, allowing blood to flow freely like a cascading waterfall down his back. Muscle fibers were torn apart, flinging bits of tissue in all directions behind Ash, splattering a nearby tree with meat, blood, and skin on its hard trunk. A dark red stain ran down his pajama pants' legs. The compound fracturing of his scapula was heard like a gunshot, sharp, jagged pieces of bone piercing through his skin with drips of bodily fluids dropping from the points. His black tank top was now is shreds, loosely clinging onto him.

Almost instantaneously, the tissues started reforming with violent cracks and pops, reforming into a giant, black wing on his left side, the flaps between the fingers of demonic wing containing disconcerting red blood vessels that glowed lightly in night.

Iris shivered, her skin taking on the temperature of a hard freeze, lips going pale. "A-A-A-A-Ash?" she cautiously asked with a quiver affecting her tone. She unknowingly planted a foot behind her as she felt fear running through her.

Ash's head, once staring blankly at the ground he stood on, snapped his head up, giving Iris a piercing look in the eyes. His one crimson eye's glow was accompanied by a similar glow from his amber eyes. A burst of pressure exploded around him, expanding in a semi-spherical shape. The impact force of the air made Iris recline to leaning straight into it just to stay standing, arms shielding her face as the pressure subsided. The shirt Ash once wore had been reduced to nothing but small threads of cloth, hanging in the air as they drifted. His chest had red scars running down towards the center, where a baseball-sized silvery orb was implanted, cyber-like trails lightly sent out by the sphere. Those eyes of his still stared directly into hers.

In just a second, he became a blur, seemingly vanishing for a nanosecond before he apparently rematerialized (in reality, he was moving really fast) right in front of her, to the side slightly. Iris froze in her position, arms drooping uselessly by her sides as her eyes widened in sudden terror. Ash's head was tilted slightly down, once again blankly staring. (Just for visualization purposes, it might be important to note that his possessed side was closer to Iris than his human side.) The pupils of Iris's eyes dilated.

With a sudden determined movement, Ash flicked his gaze back right into Iris's eyes, his body but only a few inches in front of her. Using his normal hand, he twisted his upper body to grasp Iris's neck nimbly, squeezing his fingers around her throat. Swiftly, he lifted her off of the ground with only one hand.

Chokes, whimpers, and gasps of despair were the only thing that escaped from Iris's lips, her windpipe feeling the crushing force, creating a heavy pressure in the middle of her chest as her lungs cried out for air. She tried to grab onto Ash's wrist, but the lack of oxygen made her drop her arms as she felt herself tiring out. No expression of malice clouded Ash's features. He was blank as he kept his hold on Iris's throat, slowly raising his other hand and cocking it back.

In a split second, he thrust the possessed, clawed hand into Iris's gut, penetrating all of her abdominal muscles, ripping them beyond medical repair, tearing apart skin and cloth alike into shreds, blood gushing out in spurts as a cry of pain, a weak, airy shriek like no other, leaked out of Iris's mouth, blatantly filling the nearby air. The razor sharp claws of Ash's possessed hand had ripped apart Iris's intestines, pancreas, gallbladder, and stomach, letting the digestive juices flow from the hole he had created upon his entrance. With all of his and Drakonum's focus gone, only with the animal left behind, he was completely unaware that his hand was burning at the contact of Iris's blood.

The hand went even deeper, beyond her deceased organs, and wrapped around the bony vertebrae of her lower spine. She still wasn't passed out, some strange force preventing her from achieving relief from the deep pain. Tears streaked down her cheeks from it all, but mostly from the fact that it was Ash that was literally ripping her apart, killing her slowly. The love of her life. The last one she will ever see. Not like this...not like this...

Inside of her, amid the blood, guts, and damaged tissues, Ash's hand glowed brightly, a miniscule ball of pure destructive energy appeared in the gap between the palm of his hand and Iris's spine. He let it go.

Violently, Iris body exploded, sending her limbs flying in all directions, her head having been decapitated from her body, a part of her spinal cord hanging limply from what was left of her neck. Blood, bits of skin, bone fragments, and appendages collided with the surrounding trees. Iris's head itself had been launched into the air, tears still flowing from her wide open dead eyes with her mouth slightly opened, and landed right next to Ash's foot. Parts of her were scattered around him, giving the area the appearance of a mass massacre, blood dripping from the closest green leaves.

All that was left in his hand was a part of her lower vertebral spinal column, which shattered as soon as he let go of it. He looked down at Iris's head, staring directly into the jasper eyes. Unbeknownst to the hollow Ash (talking about how he wasn't feeling anything, not that he was a Hollow from Bleach...), his body was slowly burning from blood that had splashed onto his form, burning away bits of skin and tissue, giving him a light zombie-like appearance. That's when it came to Ash's and Drakonum's attention.

_What's this? _Drakonum asked Ash, whom was still trying get back in control of his body, and thus being able to be fully aware of his surroundings.

_That's pain...It feels like I'm being burned into ashes! _Ash answered, dropping their vicious battle and the fact that it was Drakonum he was talking to.

**_We_** _feel like we're being burned._

_Doesn't matter! Leave me be, now! If you don't, we both might die! _Silence was Ash's only answer as he felt Drakonum's essence recede back into his core. In the physical world, the darkness that had enveloped Ash was torn away, disappearing into shreds. The wing, the horn, the claws, all vanishing into the wind. Ash finally came to his senses. He had healed by the time Drakonum relinquished his control.

There he stood, back to normal, shirtless in the night. He wasn't ready for the scene before him.

Ash felt panic surge through him yet again, terror pushing it forwards through his bodily passage ways, as he took in what had happened. The blood, the bones, the tissue...He glanced down at Iris's head. It shocked so much horror into him that he stumbled back until he fell onto his back, hands clinging to his head.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no..." Ash desperately repeated over and over again, tears flowing from his eyes as he clawed his scalp until he felt blood wet his fingertips.

**(*****)**

His body shook violently as he cried, his heart shattered into pieces as guilt and anger at himself ruled his mind, hands now covering his moist face. He sobbed until his throat was raw, and then he sobbed some more, his eyes no longer able to form any more tears.

Whilst he was mourning, he felt 2 orbs inside of him go suddenly cold, burning him internally. A wave of weakness rumbled through him, making his muscles feel like mush. With his vision impeded by his hands, he hadn't seen the pieces of Iris creep back together, mending everything that had been torn, everything that had been ripped, broken, or sent into oblivion.

Over the course of 10 minutes of weeping and fixing, Iris's mind suddenly opened back up. Her body, even her clothes, had been repaired, and upon completion, the cold orbs inside Ash calmed themselves down. Sitting up quickly, touching herself all over to make sure she was in one piece, a baffled expression crossed her features as she saw Ash, back to normal, crying his eyes out. "Ash!" she cried out, emotion cracking her voice.

Ash's hands dropped down as he felt disbelief cloud his mind, eyes staring confusedly at Iris. With a sense of hesitation, he replied, "Iris!" With no sense of rationality or self control, he leapt to his feet and rushed over to Iris, who had stood up, as well. They took the moment to embrace each other, fresh, new tears running down their faces as they thought of what just happened.

"Iris..." Ash began before Iris hushed him.

"Don't say anything..." Iris cooed softly, hugging him as tightly as she could. Nightmarish thoughts ran through both of their minds, causing both of them to softly, quietly sob, their quivers being felt by the other.

After a while, they retired to lying against a tree, tightly holding onto each other for dear life. Now wasn't the time to describe, nor even talk of what had just happened. They couldn't. It was going to scar them for the rest of their lives, changing their view of life drastically. It couldn't be spoken of at the time. They'd only break down again, with no clear explanation of what they had gone through. Now was the time for them to simply lay there, embracing each other, eventually slipping into shallow sleep, nightmares haunting them in the dream world until the sun started to rise for the dawn...

* * *

**You can call me a sick bitch if you want to. Thing is, I'm a guy, plus I'm a human being, so the term wouldn't exactly fit, but oh well. A pretty freaky happening, wouldn't you say?**

**Don't worry, I may not do another violent scene like that for a few chapters at the very least. And next time, I won't let Ash or Iris get killed. Or nearly killed, since APPARENTLY they can't die. Shared Essentia, remember? Sorry for taking so long to update. School just started back up, so homework is killing me right now. Again, sorry about that. Also sorry if you felt like you needed to puke or rip your own damn heart out. Seriously.**

**I was at first looking for a heavy, purely emotional sad scene for this chapter, but this somehow popped up in my mind, and I decided it was freaky enough to qualify for it, sooo, yeah!**

**Just a heads up, but I may not update my stories for another week or 2 since I'm working on a separate fanfiction story for a friend, so don't hate me for it! I'll tell you guys about it on that fanfiction, so don't worry about it!**

**Okay, so here it is, just like most of my previous chapters...**

**Favorite it, Follow it, Review it! Until next time, stay awesome!**

**FanFicLash, signing off.**


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